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 2651–2700 of 4,377 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV
2651 Cherries, tart, dried, sweetened (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) Fruits and Fruit Juices 0.68 mg 4%
2652 Frozen novelties, ice type, pop, with low calorie sweetener Sweets 0.67 mg 4%
2653 Plantains, green, fried Fruits and Fruit Juices 0.67 mg 4%
2654 Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.67 mg 4%
2655 Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, 3 MUSKETEERS Bar Sweets 0.67 mg 4%
2656 APPLEBEE'S, crunchy onion rings Restaurant Foods 0.67 mg 4%
2657 Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.67 mg 4%
2658 Frozen novelties, ice type, sugar free, orange, cherry, and grape POPSICLE pops Sweets 0.67 mg 4%
2659 Babyfood, vegetables, green beans, strained Baby Foods 0.67 mg 4%
2660 Sauce, enchilada, red, mild, ready to serve Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.67 mg 4%
2661 Sauce, sweet and sour, prepared-from-recipe Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.67 mg 4%
2662 Soup, vegetable, canned, low sodium, condensed Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.66 mg 4%
2663 New Zealand spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2664 Cabbage, red, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2665 Beans, pinto, mature seeds, sprouted, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2666 Beans, snap, green, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2667 Restaurant, Mexican, cheese enchilada Restaurant Foods 0.66 mg 4%
2668 Beans, snap, green, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2669 Cabbage, red, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2670 Beans, pinto, mature seeds, sprouted, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2671 New zealand spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.66 mg 4%
2672 Gravy, mushroom, canned Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.66 mg 4%
2673 Raspberries, frozen, red, sweetened Fruits and Fruit Juices 0.65 mg 4%
2674 Potatoes, french fried, steak fries, salt added in processing, frozen, as purchased Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2675 Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2676 Vegetables, mixed (corn, lima beans, peas, green beans, carrots) canned, no salt added Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2677 Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2678 Beans, snap, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2679 Potato salad, home-prepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2680 Beans, snap, green, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2681 Vegetables, mixed, canned, solids and liquids Vegetables and Vegetable Products 0.65 mg 4%
2682 CHICK-FIL-A, hash browns Fast Foods 0.65 mg 4%
2683 Salad dressing, italian dressing, reduced fat, without salt Fats and Oils 0.65 mg 4%
2684 Blackberries, canned, heavy syrup, solids and liquids Fruits and Fruit Juices 0.65 mg 4%
2685 Sauce, salsa, verde, ready-to-serve Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.65 mg 4%
2686 McDONALD'S, Side Salad Fast Foods 0.65 mg 4%
2687 Cheese, feta Dairy and Egg Products 0.65 mg 4%
2688 Soymilk, original and vanilla, unfortified Legumes and Legume Products 0.64 mg 4%
2689 Cake, coffeecake, cheese Baked Products 0.64 mg 4%
2690 Soup, tomato bisque, canned, condensed Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.64 mg 4%
2691 LITTLE CAESARS 14" Cheese Pizza, Thin Crust Fast Foods 0.64 mg 4%
2692 Cheese, caraway Dairy and Egg Products 0.64 mg 4%
2693 SILK Raspberry soy yogurt Legumes and Legume Products 0.64 mg 4%
2694 SILK Peach soy yogurt Legumes and Legume Products 0.64 mg 4%
2695 SILK Black Cherry soy yogurt Legumes and Legume Products 0.64 mg 4%
2696 SILK Blueberry soy yogurt Legumes and Legume Products 0.64 mg 4%
2697 Sauce, barbecue Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.64 mg 4%
2698 Soup, hot and sour, Chinese restaurant Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 0.64 mg 4%
2699 SILK Strawberry soy yogurt Legumes and Legume Products 0.64 mg 4%
2700 SILK Key Lime soy yogurt Legumes and Legume Products 0.64 mg 4%

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