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
Selling a product with iron? Generate a print-ready nutrition label from your recipe.
Showing 1001–1050 of 8,274 foods
| # | Food | Category | Per 100 g | % DV | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | Cereal, ready to eat, Maximum Raisin Bran Flakes, Compliments | Breakfast cereals | 4.63 mg | 26% | CNF |
| 1002 | Cereal, hot, oats, instant: Weight Control, Maple and Brown Sugar, prepared, Quaker | Breakfast cereals | 4.63 mg | 26% | CNF |
| 1003 | Beverages, coffee substitute, cereal grain beverage, powder | Beverages | 4.60 mg | 26% | USDA_SR |
| 1004 | Beverages, Carob-flavor beverage mix, powder | Beverages | 4.60 mg | 26% | USDA_SR |
| 1005 | Seeds, breadnut tree seeds, dried | Nut and Seed Products | 4.60 mg | 26% | USDA_SR |
| 1006 | Snacks, pretzels, hard, plain, salted | Snacks | 4.60 mg | 26% | CNF |
| 1007 | Coffee substitute, cereal grain beverage, powder | Beverages | 4.60 mg | 26% | CNF |
| 1008 | Beverage mix, carob flavour, powder | Beverages | 4.60 mg | 26% | CNF |
| 1009 | Seeds, breadnuttree seeds, dried | Nuts and Seeds | 4.60 mg | 26% | CNF |
| 1010 | Cereal, ready to eat, Breakfast O's, Barbara's Bakery | Breakfast cereals | 4.60 mg | 26% | CNF |
| 1011 | Snacks, pita chips, salted | Snacks | 4.59 mg | 26% | USDA_SR |
| 1012 | Hyacinth beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.58 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1013 | Hyacinth beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.58 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1014 | Peanuts, all types, raw | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.58 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1015 | Snacks, pretzels, hard, plain, salted | Snacks | 4.58 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1016 | Peanuts, all types, raw | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.58 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1017 | Beans, hyacinth, boiled, salted | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.58 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1018 | Beans, hyacinth, boiled | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.58 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1019 | Quinoa, uncooked | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 4.57 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1020 | Grains, quinoa, dry | Cereals, Grains and Pasta | 4.57 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1021 | Cereal, ready to eat, Shredded Wheat'n Bran: spoon size, Post | Breakfast cereals | 4.57 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1022 | Bread, protein, (includes gluten), toasted | Baked Products | 4.56 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1023 | Tomato powder | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 4.56 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1024 | Wheat, hard white | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 4.56 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1025 | Grains, wheat, hard white | Cereals, Grains and Pasta | 4.56 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1026 | Bread, protein (includes gluten), toasted | Baked Products | 4.56 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1027 | Tomato powder | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 4.56 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1028 | Egg, yolk, raw, frozen, pasteurized | Dairy and Egg Products | 4.55 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1029 | Candies, halavah, plain | Sweets | 4.53 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1030 | Candies, halavah (halvah), plain | Sweets | 4.53 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1031 | Flour, quinoa | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 4.53 mg | 25% | USDA_FF |
| 1032 | Soup, ramen noodle, dry, any flavor, reduced fat, reduced sodium | Soups, Sauces, and Gravies | 4.52 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1033 | Babyfood, cereal, rice, with yogourt, with fruit, prepared with water | Babyfoods | 4.52 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1034 | Muffins, English, raisin-cinnamon (includes apple-cinnamon) | Baked Products | 4.50 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1035 | Crackers, melba toast, wheat | Baked Products | 4.50 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1036 | Bagels, plain, enriched, with calcium propionate (includes onion, poppy, sesame), toasted | Baked Products | 4.50 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1037 | Caribou, bone marrow, raw (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 4.50 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1038 | Cereal, hot, oats, Quick: Robin Hood, dry, Robin Hood | Breakfast cereals | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1039 | English muffin, raisin-cinnamon (apple cinnamon) | Baked Products | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1040 | Cracker, melba toast, wheat | Baked Products | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1041 | Cake mix, chocolate (devil's food, fudge), regular, dry, unprepared | Baked Products | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1042 | Bagel, plain (with onion, poppy seed and/or sesame seed), toasted | Baked Products | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1043 | Cereal, hot, oats, large flakes, dry, Rogers | Breakfast cereals | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1044 | Cereal, hot, oats, minute, dry, Robin Hood | Breakfast cereals | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1045 | Soup, minestrone, dehydrated | Soups, Sauces and Gravies | 4.50 mg | 25% | CNF |
| 1046 | Beans, Dry, Flor de Mayo (0% moisture) | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.47 mg | 25% | USDA_FF |
| 1047 | Beans, Dry, Flor de Mayo (0% moisture) | Legumes and Legume Products | 4.47 mg | 25% | USDA_FF |
| 1048 | Nabisco, Nabisco Ritz Crackers | Baked Products | 4.47 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1049 | Pepperidge Farm, Goldfish, Baked Snack Crackers, Parmesan | Baked Products | 4.45 mg | 25% | USDA_SR |
| 1050 | Flour, corn, yellow, fine meal, enriched | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 4.44 mg | 25% | USDA_FF |
Need this on a label? Turn these foods into a print-ready Nutrition Facts label.
Make a labelBuild a recipe from any of these ingredients and export a print-ready FDA or Canada Nutrition Facts label. Free.