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 451–500 of 4,377 foods
| # | Food | Category | Per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 451 | Pigeon peas (red gram), mature seeds, raw | Legumes and Legume Products | 5.23 mg | 29% |
| 452 | Snacks, granola bar, KASHI GOLEAN, crunchy, mixed flavors | Snacks | 5.20 mg | 29% |
| 453 | Snacks, soy chips or crisps, salted | Snacks | 5.20 mg | 29% |
| 454 | Vital wheat gluten | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.20 mg | 29% |
| 455 | Cereals, MALT-O-MEAL, original, plain, prepared with water, without salt | Breakfast Cereals | 5.19 mg | 29% |
| 456 | Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, without peanuts, lightly salted | Nut and Seed Products | 5.18 mg | 29% |
| 457 | Crackers, saltines, whole wheat (includes multi-grain) | Baked Products | 5.14 mg | 29% |
| 458 | Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 5.14 mg | 29% |
| 459 | Soybeans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 5.14 mg | 29% |
| 460 | Kanpyo, (dried gourd strips) | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 5.12 mg | 28% |
| 461 | Hyacinth beans, mature seeds, raw | Legumes and Legume Products | 5.10 mg | 28% |
| 462 | Jujube, Chinese, fresh, dried | Fruits and Fruit Juices | 5.09 mg | 28% |
| 463 | Peppermint, fresh | Spices and Herbs | 5.08 mg | 28% |
| 464 | Beans, pinto, mature seeds, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) | Legumes and Legume Products | 5.07 mg | 28% |
| 465 | Wheat flour, white (industrial), 9% protein, bleached, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.06 mg | 28% |
| 466 | Wheat flour, white (industrial), 10% protein, bleached, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.06 mg | 28% |
| 467 | Wheat flour, white (industrial), 15% protein, bleached, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.06 mg | 28% |
| 468 | Wheat flour, white (industrial), 13% protein, bleached, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.06 mg | 28% |
| 469 | Wheat flour, white (industrial), 11.5% protein, unbleached, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.06 mg | 28% |
| 470 | Wheat flour, white (industrial), 11.5% protein, bleached, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.06 mg | 28% |
| 471 | Wheat flour, white (industrial), 10% protein, unbleached, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 5.06 mg | 28% |
| 472 | Snacks, bagel chips, plain | Snacks | 5.05 mg | 28% |
| 473 | Nuts, cashew butter, plain, without salt added | Nut and Seed Products | 5.03 mg | 28% |
| 474 | Crackers, wheat, reduced fat | Baked Products | 5.02 mg | 28% |
| 475 | Beans, black, mature seeds, raw | Legumes and Legume Products | 5.02 mg | 28% |
| 476 | Beans, cranberry (roman), mature seeds, raw | Legumes and Legume Products | 5.00 mg | 28% |
| 477 | Parmesan cheese topping, fat free | Dairy and Egg Products | 5.00 mg | 28% |
| 478 | Archway Home Style Cookies, Old Fashioned Molasses | Baked Products | 4.99 mg | 28% |
| 479 | Beans, adzuki, mature seeds, raw | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.98 mg | 28% |
| 480 | Formulated bar, SLIM-FAST OPTIMA meal bar, milk chocolate peanut | Snacks | 4.98 mg | 28% |
| 481 | Cereals, CREAM OF WHEAT, 2 1/2 minute cook time, cooked with water, microwaved, without salt | Breakfast Cereals | 4.98 mg | 28% |
| 482 | Rye flour, dark | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 4.97 mg | 28% |
| 483 | Beverages, Cocoa mix, no sugar added, powder | Beverages | 4.96 mg | 28% |
| 484 | Beverages, Cocoa mix, low calorie, powder, with added calcium, phosphorus, aspartame, without added sodium or vitamin A | Beverages | 4.96 mg | 28% |
| 485 | Cereals, CREAM OF WHEAT, instant, prepared with water, without salt | Breakfast Cereals | 4.96 mg | 28% |
| 486 | Cornmeal, yellow, self-rising, bolted, with wheat flour added, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 4.95 mg | 28% |
| 487 | Cornmeal, white, self-rising, bolted, with wheat flour added, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 4.95 mg | 28% |
| 488 | Bread, crumbs, dry, grated, seasoned | Baked Products | 4.92 mg | 27% |
| 489 | Nuts, cashew butter, plain, with salt added | Nut and Seed Products | 4.91 mg | 27% |
| 490 | Seeds, safflower seed kernels, dried | Nut and Seed Products | 4.90 mg | 27% |
| 491 | Snacks, corn-based, extruded, chips, barbecue-flavor, made with enriched masa flour | Snacks | 4.90 mg | 27% |
| 492 | Nabisco, Nabisco Oreo Crunchies, Cookie Crumb Topping | Baked Products | 4.90 mg | 27% |
| 493 | Muffins, English, raisin-cinnamon, toasted (includes apple-cinnamon) | Baked Products | 4.90 mg | 27% |
| 494 | Bread, white wheat | Baked Products | 4.89 mg | 27% |
| 495 | Crackers, cheese, regular | Baked Products | 4.88 mg | 27% |
| 496 | Cereals, CREAM OF WHEAT, 1 minute cook time, cooked with water, microwaved, without salt | Breakfast Cereals | 4.88 mg | 27% |
| 497 | Tofu, fried, prepared with calcium sulfate | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.87 mg | 27% |
| 498 | Tofu, fried | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.87 mg | 27% |
| 499 | Pepperidge Farm, Goldfish, Baked Snack Crackers, Pizza | Baked Products | 4.87 mg | 27% |
| 500 | Seeds, safflower seed meal, partially defatted | Nut and Seed Products | 4.86 mg | 27% |
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