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 3001–3050 of 6,739 foods
| # | Food | Category | Per 100 g | % DV | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3001 | Snacks, corn cakes, very low sodium | Snacks | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3002 | Snacks, corn cakes | Snacks | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3003 | Tortilla, ready-to-bake / fry, corn, unsalted | Baked Products | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3004 | Bread, banana, homemade, made with margarine | Baked Products | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3005 | Beans, legumes, mung (green gram), boiled, salted | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3006 | Beans, legumes, mung (green gram), boiled | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3007 | Beans, baked, canned, with pork and sweet sauce | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3008 | Brussels sprouts, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3009 | Apple, dried, sulphured, uncooked | Fruits and fruit juices | 1.40 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3010 | Arugula, baby, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.39 mg | 8% | USDA_FF |
| 3011 | Pumpkin, canned, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.39 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3012 | Candies, MR. GOODBAR Chocolate Bar | Sweets | 1.39 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3013 | Pumpkin, canned, without salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.39 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3014 | Candies, bars, Mr Goodbar | Sweets | 1.39 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3015 | Pumpkin, canned | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.39 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3016 | Beans, great northern, canned, sodium added, drained and rinsed | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.38 mg | 8% | USDA_FF |
| 3017 | Potato flour | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.38 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3018 | Snacks, tortilla chips, ranch-flavor | Snacks | 1.38 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3019 | Snacks, tortilla chips, ranch | Snacks | 1.38 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3020 | Potato flour | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.38 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3021 | Cherries, sour, red, canned, water pack, solids and liquids | Fruits and Fruit Juices | 1.37 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3022 | Sauce, steak, tomato based | Soups, Sauces, and Gravies | 1.37 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3023 | Toddler formula, MEAD JOHNSON, ENFAGROW PREMIUM (formerly ENFAMIL, LIPIL, NEXT STEP), ready-to-feed | Baby Foods | 1.37 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3024 | Cherry, sour, red, canned, water pack, solids and liquid | Fruits and fruit juices | 1.37 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3025 | Sauce, steak, tomato based, ready-to-serve | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 1.37 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3026 | Bagels, plain, unenriched, without calcium propionate(includes onion, poppy, sesame) | Baked Products | 1.36 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3027 | Bagels, plain, unenriched, with calcium propionate (includes onion, poppy, sesame) | Baked Products | 1.36 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3028 | Cake, snack cakes, creme-filled, sponge | Baked Products | 1.36 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3029 | Cake, pudding-type, white, enriched, dry mix | Baked Products | 1.36 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3030 | Snacks, potato chips, barbecue-flavor | Snacks | 1.36 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3031 | Snacks, potato chips, barbecue flavour | Snacks | 1.36 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3032 | Pie, pumpkin, commercial | Baked Products | 1.36 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3033 | Cake, white, pudding-type, dry mix, unprepared | Baked Products | 1.36 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3034 | Potato, french-fried, frozen, restaurant prepared, fried in vegetable oil | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.36 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3035 | Soy sauce made from soy and wheat (shoyu), low sodium | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.35 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3036 | Potato chips, without salt, reduced fat | Snacks | 1.35 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3037 | Snacks, potato chips, reduced fat | Snacks | 1.35 mg | 8% | USDA_SR |
| 3038 | Soy sauce (made with soy and wheat), shoyu, sodium reduced | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.35 mg | 8% | CNF |
| 3039 | Child formula, ABBOTT NUTRITION, PEDIASURE, ready-to-feed | Baby Foods | 1.34 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3040 | Chili con carne with beans, canned entree | Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes | 1.34 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3041 | Cake, snack cakes, not chocolate, with icing or filling, low-fat, with added fiber | Baked Products | 1.34 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3042 | Chili con carne with beans, canned | Mixed Dishes | 1.34 mg | 7% | CNF |
| 3043 | Beans, pinto, canned, drained solids | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3044 | Cereals ready-to-eat, BARBARA'S PUFFINS, original | Breakfast Cereals | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3045 | Barley, pearled, cooked | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3046 | Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, stewed | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3047 | Candies, HERSHEY'S, ALMOND JOY BITES | Sweets | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3048 | Sweet potato, canned, mashed | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3049 | Mushrooms, oyster, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
| 3050 | Peppers, chili, green, canned | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.33 mg | 7% | USDA_SR |
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