Vegetarian foods high in Iron (USDA SR Legacy)

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 901–950 of 4,377 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV
901 Cake, chocolate, commercially prepared with chocolate frosting, in-store bakery Baked Products 3.04 mg 17%
902 Hush puppies, prepared from recipe Baked Products 3.04 mg 17%
903 Spices, nutmeg, ground Spices and Herbs 3.04 mg 17%
904 Bread, white, commercially prepared, low sodium, no salt Baked Products 3.03 mg 17%
905 Cereals ready-to-eat, MOM'S BEST, Honey Nut TOASTY O'S Breakfast Cereals 3.02 mg 17%
906 Muffins, English, mixed-grain (includes granola) Baked Products 3.02 mg 17%
907 Bread, chapati or roti, plain, commercially prepared Baked Products 3.01 mg 17%
908 Millet, raw Cereal Grains and Pasta 3.01 mg 17%
909 Beans, pinto, immature seeds, frozen, unprepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 3.00 mg 17%
910 Cereals ready-to-eat, ALPEN Breakfast Cereals 3.00 mg 17%
911 Babyfood, cookies, arrowroot Baby Foods 3.00 mg 17%
912 Crackers, sandwich-type, peanut butter filled, reduced fat Baked Products 3.00 mg 17%
913 Cookie, chocolate, with icing or coating Baked Products 3.00 mg 17%
914 Cereals, QUAKER, oatmeal, REAL MEDLEYS, cherry pistachio, dry Breakfast Cereals 2.99 mg 17%
915 Beans, white, mature seeds, canned Legumes and Legume Products 2.99 mg 17%
916 Cornmeal, yellow (Navajo) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 2.99 mg 17%
917 Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.98 mg 17%
918 Grape leaves, canned Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.98 mg 17%
919 Beans, kidney, california red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.98 mg 17%
920 Beans, kidney, california red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.98 mg 17%
921 Cookies, shortbread, reduced fat Baked Products 2.98 mg 17%
922 Cookies, shortbread, commercially prepared, plain Baked Products 2.98 mg 17%
923 Popovers, dry mix, enriched Baked Products 2.97 mg 16%
924 Bread, white, prepared from recipe, made with low fat (2%) milk Baked Products 2.97 mg 16%
925 Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared, toasted Baked Products 2.96 mg 16%
926 Rolls, dinner, plain, prepared from recipe, made with low fat (2%) milk Baked Products 2.96 mg 16%
927 Snacks, granola bars, hard, plain Snacks 2.95 mg 16%
928 WENDY'S, CLASSIC DOUBLE, with cheese Fast Foods 2.94 mg 16%
929 Bread, oatmeal, toasted Baked Products 2.94 mg 16%
930 Carob flour Legumes and Legume Products 2.94 mg 16%
931 Beans, kidney, all types, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.94 mg 16%
932 Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.94 mg 16%
933 Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.94 mg 16%
934 Cake, pudding-type, chocolate, dry mix Baked Products 2.92 mg 16%
935 Mush, blue corn with ash (Navajo) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 2.92 mg 16%
936 Cornmeal, blue (Navajo) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 2.91 mg 16%
937 Nuts, walnuts, english Nut and Seed Products 2.91 mg 16%
938 Baking chocolate, MARS SNACKFOOD US, M&M's Semisweet Chocolate Mini Baking Bits Sweets 2.91 mg 16%
939 Bread, reduced-calorie, wheat Baked Products 2.91 mg 16%
940 Biscuits, plain or buttermilk, prepared from recipe Baked Products 2.90 mg 16%
941 Bread, raisin, enriched Baked Products 2.90 mg 16%
942 Cookies, fig bars Baked Products 2.90 mg 16%
943 Babyfood, cookie, baby, fruit Baby Foods 2.90 mg 16%
944 Tortilla, blue corn, Sakwavikaviki (Hopi) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 2.89 mg 16%
945 Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.89 mg 16%
946 Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.89 mg 16%
947 Pie crust, standard-type, prepared from recipe, baked Baked Products 2.89 mg 16%
948 Cake, gingerbread, prepared from recipe Baked Products 2.88 mg 16%
949 Cereals, QUAKER, QUAKER MultiGrain Oatmeal, dry Breakfast Cereals 2.88 mg 16%
950 Cereals ready-to-eat, OAT BRAN FLAKES, HEALTH VALLEY Breakfast Cereals 2.88 mg 16%

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