Red meat and poultry dominate this ranking because their iron binds easily to the proteins that carry oxygen through your blood. Animal tissues contain haem iron, the form your body absorbs with the fewest obstacles. Plant foods hold non-haem iron, which your gut takes up less readily and only when other compounds in the meal do not block it.
Iron concentrates in organ meats, then muscle meats, then leafy greens and legumes. A single ranking cannot show you absorption rates. Two foods with the same iron count per 100 g deliver different amounts to your bloodstream depending on what else you eat alongside them.
Without animal foods, you lose access to haem iron. Plant sources and fortified foods supply non-haem iron instead, which your body absorbs at a lower rate and loses to interference from phytates, tannins and polyphenols in the same meal. Eating vitamin C alongside iron-rich plants improves uptake substantially. Many fortified cereals and plant milks contain added iron in amounts comparable to meat, but absorption remains the limiting factor on a vegetarian or vegan diet.
FDA daily value: 18 mg
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Showing 2001–2050 of 6,739 foods
| # | Food | Category | Per 100 g | % DV | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Dock (sorrel), raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.40 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2002 | Peas, edible-podded (snow peas), frozen, boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.40 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2003 | Cereal, ready to eat, Granola: Blueberry, light, Rogers | Breakfast cereals | 2.40 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2004 | Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.39 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2005 | Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.39 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2006 | Nuts, chestnuts, european, dried, peeled | Nut and Seed Products | 2.39 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2007 | Beans, lima, dry, large, boiled, salted | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.39 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2008 | Beans, lima, dry, large, boiled | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.39 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2009 | Nuts, European chestnuts (sweet), dried, peeled | Nuts and Seeds | 2.39 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2010 | Cookies, vanilla wafers, lower fat | Baked Products | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2011 | Cookies, oatmeal, refrigerated dough, baked | Baked Products | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2012 | Soy sauce made from soy (tamari) | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2013 | Potato soup, instant, dry mix | Soups, Sauces, and Gravies | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2014 | Infant formula, NESTLE, GOOD START SOY, with DHA and ARA, liquid concentrate | Baby Foods | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2015 | Nuts, chestnuts, european, dried, unpeeled | Nut and Seed Products | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2016 | Corn flour, whole-grain, yellow | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2017 | Corn flour, whole-grain, white | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 2.38 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2018 | Cookie, oatmeal, refrigerated dough, prepared | Baked Products | 2.38 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2019 | Soup, potato, instant, dehydrated, unprepared | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 2.38 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2020 | Grains, corn flour, yellow, whole-grain | Cereals, Grains and Pasta | 2.38 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2021 | Cookie, vanilla wafer, 12 to 17% fat | Baked Products | 2.38 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2022 | Soy sauce (made from soy), tamari | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.38 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2023 | Nuts, European chestnuts (sweet), dried, unpeeled | Nuts and Seeds | 2.38 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2024 | Nuts, pecans, halves, raw | Nut and Seed Products | 2.37 mg | 13% | USDA_FF |
| 2025 | TACO BELL, Bean Burrito | Fast Foods | 2.37 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2026 | Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.36 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2027 | Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.36 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2028 | Infant formula, PBM PRODUCTS, store brand, soy, liquid concentrate, not reconstituted | Baby Foods | 2.36 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2029 | Infant formula, PBM PRODUCTS, store brand, liquid concentrate, not reconstituted | Baby Foods | 2.36 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2030 | Fast foods, hot dog, plain | Fast Foods | 2.36 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2031 | Beans, navy, boiled, salted | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.36 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2032 | Beans, navy, boiled | Legumes and Legume Products | 2.36 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2033 | Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, frozen, unprepared | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.35 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2034 | Cowpeas (black-eyed peas), immature seeds, frozen, unprepared | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.35 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2035 | Granola bar, chewy, fruit and/or nut | Baked Products | 2.34 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2036 | Infant Formula, MEAD JOHNSON, ENFAMIL, Premium LIPIL, Infant, Liquid concentrate, not reconstituted | Baby Foods | 2.33 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2037 | Cookie, sugar, homemade, made with margarine | Baked Products | 2.33 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2038 | Cereal, ready to eat, Harvest Crunch: Raisins and almonds, Quaker | Breakfast cereals | 2.33 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2039 | Archway Home Style Cookies, Strawberry Filled | Baked Products | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2040 | Infant formula, ABBOTT NUTRITION, SIMILAC, SENSITIVE, (LACTOSE FREE), liquid concentrate, with ARA and DHA | Baby Foods | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2041 | Archway Home Style Cookies, Raspberry Filled | Baked Products | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2042 | DOMINO'S 14" EXTRAVAGANZZA FEAST Pizza, Classic Hand-Tossed Crust | Fast Foods | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2043 | Infant Formula, MEAD JOHNSON, ENFAMIL, Premium, Infant, Liquid concentrate, not reconstituted | Baby Foods | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2044 | Drumstick leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2045 | Drumstick leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2046 | Amaranth leaves, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2047 | Snacks, tortilla chips, unsalted, white corn | Snacks | 2.32 mg | 13% | USDA_SR |
| 2048 | Drumstick (horseradish-tree), leaves, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.32 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2049 | Snacks, tortilla chips, unsalted | Snacks | 2.32 mg | 13% | CNF |
| 2050 | Drumstick (horseradish-tree), leaves, boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 2.32 mg | 13% | CNF |
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