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 2,883 foods
| # | Food | Category | Per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Artichoke (Globe, French), frozen, boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2002 | Asparagus, frozen, boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2003 | Jew's ear (cloud or wood ear, pepeao), raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2004 | Sesbania flowers, steamed | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2005 | Squash, winter, acorn, boiled, mashed | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2006 | Candies, bars, Alpine White bar with almonds | Sweets | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2007 | Broccoli, chinese, cooked | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2008 | Artichoke (Globe, French), frozen, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2009 | Asparagus, frozen, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2010 | Sesbania flowers, steamed, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2011 | Squash, winter, acorn, boiled, mashed, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.56 mg | 3% |
| 2012 | Soup, onion, canned, condensed | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2013 | Avocado, raw, all commercial varieties | Fruits and fruit juices | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2014 | Celtuce, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2015 | Potato, hashed-brown, homemade | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2016 | Salsify (oysterplant, vegetable oyster), boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2017 | Succotash, canned with cream style corn | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2018 | Taro, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2019 | Dessert, mousse, chocolate, homemade | Sweets | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2020 | Sauce, spaghetti, with mushroom and green pepper, ready-to-serve | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2021 | Sauce, spaghetti, with onion and garlic, ready-to-serve | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2022 | Sauce, spaghetti, with garden vegetables, ready-to-serve | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2023 | Lasagna, vegetable, frozen, baked | Mixed Dishes | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2024 | Corn, sweet, white, on or off the cob, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2025 | Corn, sweet, white, on or off the cob, boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2026 | Salsify (oysterplant, vegetable oyster), boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2027 | Zucchini, battered and fried | Mixed Dishes | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2028 | Babyfood, vegetables and fruit, zucchini and apple | Babyfoods | 0.55 mg | 3% |
| 2029 | Soup, minestrone, ready-to-serve | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2030 | Apricot, canned whole no skin, water pack, solids and liquid | Fruits and fruit juices | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2031 | Breadfruit, raw | Fruits and fruit juices | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2032 | Cauliflower, frozen, unprepared | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2033 | Sweet potato, frozen, baked | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2034 | Yam, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2035 | Potato, hashed brown, frozen, plain, prepared | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2036 | Muffin, blueberry, toaster-type, toasted | Baked Products | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2037 | Dessert, frozen, ice pop | Sweets | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2038 | Icing (frosting), coconut-nut, ready to eat | Sweets | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2039 | Soup, tomato, low sodium, water added | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2040 | Sweet potato, frozen, baked, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.54 mg | 3% |
| 2041 | Cherry sour, red, frozen, unsweetened | Fruits and fruit juices | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2042 | Succotash, canned with whole kernel corn, solids and liquid | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2043 | Sweet potato, frozen, unprepared | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2044 | Corn pudding , homemade | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2045 | Carrot, frozen, boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2046 | Nuts, Japanese chestnuts, boiled and steamed | Nuts and Seeds | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2047 | Grains, rice, brown, medium-grain, cooked | Cereals, Grains and Pasta | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2048 | Cranberry, dried, sweetened | Fruits and fruit juices | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2049 | Mushroom, shiitake, stir-fried, no fat added | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0.53 mg | 3% |
| 2050 | Jam type spread, Double Fruit, Light | Sweets | 0.53 mg | 3% |
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