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 1701–1750 of 4,377 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV
1701 Cake, pudding-type, yellow, dry mix Baked Products 1.57 mg 9%
1702 Beans, great northern, mature seeds, canned Legumes and Legume Products 1.57 mg 9%
1703 Restaurant, Latino, Arroz con frijoles negros (rice and black beans) Restaurant Foods 1.57 mg 9%
1704 Pigeonpeas, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.57 mg 9%
1705 Pigeonpeas, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.57 mg 9%
1706 Candies, sweet chocolate coated fondant Sweets 1.56 mg 9%
1707 Taro, tahitian, cooked, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.56 mg 9%
1708 Taro, tahitian, cooked, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.56 mg 9%
1709 Hummus, home prepared Legumes and Legume Products 1.56 mg 9%
1710 Snacks, granola bites, mixed flavors Snacks 1.56 mg 9%
1711 Pancakes, plain, dry mix, complete, prepared Baked Products 1.56 mg 9%
1712 Beans, cranberry (roman), mature seeds, canned Legumes and Legume Products 1.55 mg 9%
1713 Snacks, FRITOLAY, SUNCHIPS, multigrain, French onion flavor Snacks 1.55 mg 9%
1714 Snacks, vegetable chips, made from garden vegetables Snacks 1.55 mg 9%
1715 Beans, fava, in pod, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.55 mg 9%
1716 Onions, dehydrated flakes Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.55 mg 9%
1717 Snacks, corn-based, extruded, chips, barbecue-flavor Snacks 1.54 mg 9%
1718 Peas and onions, frozen, unprepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.54 mg 9%
1719 Peas, green, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.54 mg 9%
1720 Peas, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.54 mg 9%
1721 Currants, european black, raw Fruits and Fruit Juices 1.54 mg 9%
1722 PIZZA HUT 14" Super Supreme Pizza, Hand-Tossed Crust Fast Foods 1.53 mg 8%
1723 HOUSE FOODS Premium Soft Tofu Legumes and Legume Products 1.53 mg 8%
1724 Tostada shells, corn Baked Products 1.53 mg 8%
1725 Peas, green, frozen, unprepared (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.53 mg 8%
1726 Snacks, tortilla chips, plain, white corn, salted Snacks 1.52 mg 8%
1727 Succotash, (corn and limas), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.52 mg 8%
1728 Stew, moose (Alaska Native) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 1.52 mg 8%
1729 ON THE BORDER, cheese quesadilla Restaurant Foods 1.52 mg 8%
1730 Restaurant, Mexican, cheese quesadilla Restaurant Foods 1.52 mg 8%
1731 Peas, green, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.52 mg 8%
1732 Peas, green, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.52 mg 8%
1733 Succotash, (corn and limas), cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.52 mg 8%
1734 Cake, white, prepared from recipe without frosting Baked Products 1.52 mg 8%
1735 Cookies, brownies, dry mix, sugar free Baked Products 1.52 mg 8%
1736 Apricots, dried, sulfured, stewed, with added sugar Fruits and Fruit Juices 1.52 mg 8%
1737 Peanuts, all types, oil-roasted, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 1.52 mg 8%
1738 Peanuts, all types, oil-roasted, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 1.52 mg 8%
1739 Cake, pound, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Panque Casero, home baked style Baked Products 1.51 mg 8%
1740 Turnip greens, canned, no salt added Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.51 mg 8%
1741 Lima beans, immature seeds, frozen, fordhook, unprepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.51 mg 8%
1742 Turnip greens, canned, solids and liquids Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.51 mg 8%
1743 Turnip greens, frozen, unprepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.51 mg 8%
1744 Nuts, coconut meat, dried (desiccated), sweetened, flaked, packaged Nut and Seed Products 1.51 mg 8%
1745 Mustard spinach, (tendergreen), raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8%
1746 Sandwich spread, meatless Legumes and Legume Products 1.50 mg 8%
1747 Broadbeans, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8%
1748 Candies, HERSHEY'S MILK CHOCOLATE WITH ALMOND BITES Sweets 1.50 mg 8%
1749 Babyfood, peas and brown rice Baby Foods 1.50 mg 8%
1750 Broadbeans, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8%

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