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 1151–1200 of 4,377 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV
1151 Beans, yellow, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.48 mg 14%
1152 Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared Baked Products 2.47 mg 14%
1153 Continental Mills, Krusteaz Almond Poppyseed Muffin Mix, Artificially Flavored, dry Baked Products 2.47 mg 14%
1154 PIZZA HUT 14" Cheese Pizza, Pan Crust Fast Foods 2.47 mg 14%
1155 Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, Natural Granola Apple Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cereals 2.47 mg 14%
1156 Buckwheat groats, roasted, dry Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.47 mg 14%
1157 Nuts, pecans, oil roasted, without salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.47 mg 14%
1158 Pie crust, deep dish, frozen, baked, made with enriched flour Baked Products 2.47 mg 14%
1159 Nuts, pecans, oil roasted, with salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.47 mg 14%
1160 Bulgur, dry Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.46 mg 14%
1161 Nuts, beechnuts, dried Nut and Seed Products 2.46 mg 14%
1162 Cookies, chocolate chip, prepared from recipe, made with margarine Baked Products 2.46 mg 14%
1163 Crackers, rye, sandwich-type with cheese filling Baked Products 2.45 mg 14%
1164 Muffins, English, whole-wheat Baked Products 2.45 mg 14%
1165 Archway Home Style Cookies, Oatmeal Baked Products 2.45 mg 14%
1166 Lima beans, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.45 mg 14%
1167 Lima beans, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.45 mg 14%
1168 Snacks, granola bars, soft, uncoated, raisin Snacks 2.44 mg 14%
1169 Snacks, oriental mix, rice-based Snacks 2.44 mg 14%
1170 Rice and vermicelli mix, rice pilaf flavor, unprepared Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes 2.44 mg 14%
1171 Sweet rolls, cinnamon, refrigerated dough with frosting Baked Products 2.44 mg 14%
1172 Cookie, butter or sugar, with chocolate icing or filling Baked Products 2.44 mg 14%
1173 Crackers, crispbread, rye Baked Products 2.43 mg 14%
1174 Cake, coffeecake, fruit Baked Products 2.43 mg 14%
1175 Cookies, shortbread, commercially prepared, pecan Baked Products 2.43 mg 14%
1176 Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched Nut and Seed Products 2.43 mg 14%
1177 Nuts, coconut meat, raw Nut and Seed Products 2.43 mg 14%
1178 Doughnuts, french crullers, glazed Baked Products 2.42 mg 13%
1179 Rolls, dinner, whole-wheat Baked Products 2.42 mg 13%
1180 Bacon, meatless Legumes and Legume Products 2.41 mg 13%
1181 Veggie burgers or soyburgers, unprepared Legumes and Legume Products 2.41 mg 13%
1182 McDONALD'S, QUARTER POUNDER Fast Foods 2.41 mg 13%
1183 School Lunch, pizza, TONY'S SMARTPIZZA Whole Grain 4x6 Cheese Pizza 50/50 Cheese, frozen Fast Foods 2.40 mg 13%
1184 Peas, edible-podded, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.40 mg 13%
1185 Peas, edible-podded, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.40 mg 13%
1186 Nuts, formulated, wheat-based, unflavored, with salt added Nut and Seed Products 2.40 mg 13%
1187 Dock, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.40 mg 13%
1188 Snacks, potato chips, fat-free, made with olestra Snacks 2.40 mg 13%
1189 Snacks, granola bars, hard, peanut butter Snacks 2.40 mg 13%
1190 Fireweed, leaves, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.40 mg 13%
1191 Lima beans, thin seeded (baby), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.40 mg 13%
1192 Lima beans, thin seeded (baby), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.40 mg 13%
1193 Archway Home Style Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Baked Products 2.40 mg 13%
1194 Muffins, plain, prepared from recipe, made with low fat (2%) milk Baked Products 2.39 mg 13%
1195 Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.39 mg 13%
1196 Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.39 mg 13%
1197 Crackers, standard snack-type, sandwich, with cheese filling Baked Products 2.39 mg 13%
1198 Nuts, chestnuts, european, dried, peeled Nut and Seed Products 2.39 mg 13%
1199 Nuts, chestnuts, european, dried, unpeeled Nut and Seed Products 2.38 mg 13%
1200 Corn flour, whole-grain, yellow Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.38 mg 13%

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