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 2051–2100 of 4,377 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV
2051 Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, M&M's Peanut Chocolate Candies Sweets 1.16 mg 6%
2052 Cake, white, prepared from recipe with coconut frosting Baked Products 1.16 mg 6%
2053 Snacks, granola bar, QUAKER, DIPPS, all flavors Snacks 1.16 mg 6%
2054 Yokan, prepared from adzuki beans and sugar Legumes and Legume Products 1.16 mg 6%
2055 Sauce, ready-to-serve, pepper, TABASCO Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 1.16 mg 6%
2056 Infant formula, NESTLE, GOOD START SOY, with DHA and ARA, ready-to-feed Baby Foods 1.15 mg 6%
2057 Bananas, dehydrated, or banana powder Fruits and Fruit Juices 1.15 mg 6%
2058 Restaurant, Mexican, spanish rice Restaurant Foods 1.15 mg 6%
2059 Pie crust, refrigerated, regular, baked Baked Products 1.15 mg 6%
2060 Mushrooms, enoki, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.15 mg 6%
2061 Eppaw, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.15 mg 6%
2062 Snacks, rice cakes, brown rice, buckwheat Snacks 1.14 mg 6%
2063 Snacks, potato chips, made from dried potatoes, fat-free, made with olestra Snacks 1.14 mg 6%
2064 Pickle relish, hamburger Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.14 mg 6%
2065 Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, plain, cooked Cereal Grains and Pasta 1.14 mg 6%
2066 Snacks, rice cakes, brown rice, buckwheat, unsalted Snacks 1.14 mg 6%
2067 Beverages, chocolate malt powder, prepared with 1% milk, fortified Beverages 1.14 mg 6%
2068 Chili with beans, microwavable bowls Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes 1.13 mg 6%
2069 Infant formula, ABBOTT NUTRITION, SIMILAC, PM 60/40, powder not reconstituted Baby Foods 1.13 mg 6%
2070 Beverages, Protein powder whey based Beverages 1.13 mg 6%
2071 Beans, adzuki, mature seeds, canned, sweetened Legumes and Legume Products 1.13 mg 6%
2072 Horned melon (Kiwano) Fruits and Fruit Juices 1.13 mg 6%
2073 Collards, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.13 mg 6%
2074 Candies, WHATCHAMACALLIT Candy Bar Sweets 1.13 mg 6%
2075 Pasta, homemade, made without egg, cooked Cereal Grains and Pasta 1.13 mg 6%
2076 Cheese spread, cream cheese base Dairy and Egg Products 1.13 mg 6%
2077 Collards, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.13 mg 6%
2078 Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.12 mg 6%
2079 Collards, frozen, chopped, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.12 mg 6%
2080 Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.12 mg 6%
2081 Mustard greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.12 mg 6%
2082 Collards, frozen, chopped, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.12 mg 6%
2083 Mustard greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.12 mg 6%
2084 Beverages, citrus fruit juice drink, frozen concentrate, prepared with water Beverages 1.12 mg 6%
2085 Pie, apple, prepared from recipe Baked Products 1.12 mg 6%
2086 Pigeon peas (red gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 1.11 mg 6%
2087 Tofu, soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride (nigari) Legumes and Legume Products 1.11 mg 6%
2088 Pigeon peas (red gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 1.11 mg 6%
2089 Snacks, potato chips, made from dried potatoes, reduced fat Snacks 1.11 mg 6%
2090 Bread, kneel down (Navajo) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 1.11 mg 6%
2091 Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, DOVE Milk Chocolate Sweets 1.11 mg 6%
2092 Candies, fudge, chocolate marshmallow, with nuts, prepared-by-recipe Sweets 1.11 mg 6%
2093 Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, M&M's Milk Chocolate Candies Sweets 1.11 mg 6%
2094 Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, spinach, cooked Cereal Grains and Pasta 1.11 mg 6%
2095 Soup, tomato, canned, condensed, reduced sodium Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 1.11 mg 6%
2096 Candies, NESTLE, GOOBERS Chocolate Covered Peanuts Sweets 1.10 mg 6%
2097 Stew, steamed corn (Navajo) American Indian/Alaska Native Foods 1.10 mg 6%
2098 Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, MARS Almond Bar Sweets 1.10 mg 6%
2099 Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.10 mg 6%
2100 Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.10 mg 6%

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