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 1051–1100 of 4,377 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV
1051 Crackers, wheat, regular Baked Products 2.64 mg 15%
1052 Snacks, trail mix, tropical Snacks 2.64 mg 15%
1053 School Lunch, pizza, cheese topping, thick crust, whole grain, frozen, cooked Fast Foods 2.63 mg 15%
1054 Grape leaves, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.63 mg 15%
1055 Rye grain Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.63 mg 15%
1056 Cereals ready-to-eat, POST, Shredded Wheat, original big biscuit Breakfast Cereals 2.63 mg 15%
1057 Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, whole wheat Baked Products 2.63 mg 15%
1058 Bread, gluten-free, white, made with rice flour, corn starch, and/or tapioca Baked Products 2.63 mg 15%
1059 Archway Home Style Cookies, Chocolate Chip Ice Box Baked Products 2.63 mg 15%
1060 Crackers, wheat, sandwich, with cheese filling Baked Products 2.62 mg 15%
1061 PIZZA HUT 14" Cheese Pizza, Hand-Tossed Crust Fast Foods 2.62 mg 15%
1062 Bread, pita, white, enriched Baked Products 2.62 mg 15%
1063 Muffins, corn, prepared from recipe, made with low fat (2%) milk Baked Products 2.61 mg 14%
1064 Corn, dried, yellow (Northern Plains Indians) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 2.61 mg 14%
1065 Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, with peanuts, without salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.61 mg 14%
1066 Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, with peanuts, lightly salted Nut and Seed Products 2.61 mg 14%
1067 Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, with peanuts, with salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.61 mg 14%
1068 Pie Crust, Cookie-type, Graham Cracker, Ready Crust Baked Products 2.60 mg 14%
1069 Willow, young leaves, chopped (Alaska Native) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 2.60 mg 14%
1070 Soup, cream of vegetable, dry, powder Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 2.60 mg 14%
1071 Nuts, formulated, wheat-based, all flavors except macadamia, without salt Nut and Seed Products 2.60 mg 14%
1072 Infant formula, MEAD JOHNSON, Enfamil Reguline Powder, with ARA and DHA, not reconstituted Baby Foods 2.60 mg 14%
1073 Puff pastry, frozen, ready-to-bake, baked Baked Products 2.60 mg 14%
1074 Pillsbury, Buttermilk Biscuits, Artificial Flavor, refrigerated dough Baked Products 2.60 mg 14%
1075 Cookies, peanut butter sandwich, regular Baked Products 2.60 mg 14%
1076 Pie crust, standard-type, frozen, ready-to-bake, enriched Baked Products 2.60 mg 14%
1077 Crackers, multigrain Baked Products 2.59 mg 14%
1078 Fast foods, egg, scrambled Fast Foods 2.59 mg 14%
1079 Raisins, seeded Fruits and Fruit Juices 2.59 mg 14%
1080 Triticale flour, whole-grain Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.59 mg 14%
1081 Cookies, oatmeal, commercially prepared, regular Baked Products 2.58 mg 14%
1082 Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Low Fat 100% Natural Granola with Raisins Breakfast Cereals 2.58 mg 14%
1083 Biscuits, plain or buttermilk, refrigerated dough, higher fat, baked Baked Products 2.57 mg 14%
1084 Pie crust, standard-type, prepared from recipe, unbaked Baked Products 2.57 mg 14%
1085 Nuts, walnuts, dry roasted, with salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.57 mg 14%
1086 Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, without peanuts, without salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.57 mg 14%
1087 Beet greens, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.57 mg 14%
1088 Fast foods, cheeseburger; single, large patty; plain Fast Foods 2.57 mg 14%
1089 Triticale Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.57 mg 14%
1090 Snacks, granola bars, soft, uncoated, chocolate chip, graham and marshmallow Snacks 2.57 mg 14%
1091 Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, without peanuts, with salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.57 mg 14%
1092 Arrowhead, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.57 mg 14%
1093 Restaurant, family style, sirloin steak Restaurant Foods 2.57 mg 14%
1094 Snacks, granola bars, soft, uncoated, plain Snacks 2.56 mg 14%
1095 Puff pastry, frozen, ready-to-bake Baked Products 2.56 mg 14%
1096 Rice and Wheat cereal bar Snacks 2.56 mg 14%
1097 Fast foods, miniature cinnamon rolls Fast Foods 2.55 mg 14%
1098 Peanuts, virginia, raw Legumes and Legume Products 2.55 mg 14%
1099 Cookies, peanut butter sandwich, special dietary Baked Products 2.55 mg 14%
1100 Fast foods, hush puppies Fast Foods 2.55 mg 14%

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