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 2901–2950 of 8,274 foods
| # | Food | Category | Per 100 g | % DV | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2901 | Snacks, potato chips, cheese | Snacks | 1.84 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2902 | Cookie, sugar, refrigerated dough, baked | Baked Products | 1.84 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2903 | Cookie, brownie, homemade | Baked Products | 1.84 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2904 | Nuts, coconut meat, desiccated, sweetened, flaked, canned | Nuts and Seeds | 1.84 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2905 | McDONALD'S, Hotcakes (plain) | Fast Foods | 1.83 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2906 | Bread, raisin, unenriched | Baked Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2907 | Doughnuts, yeast-leavened, with creme filling | Baked Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2908 | Succotash, (corn and limas), raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2909 | Asparagus, canned, drained solids | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2910 | Coffee cake, cream filled, with chocolate icing (frosting) | Baked Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2911 | Doughnut (donut), yeast-leavened, with cream filling | Baked Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2912 | Asparagus, canned, drained solids | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2913 | Succotash, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.83 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2914 | Beets, canned, drained solids | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.82 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2915 | Lima beans, immature seeds, frozen, fordhook, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.82 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2916 | Puddings, chocolate, dry mix, regular | Sweets | 1.82 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2917 | Lima beans, immature seeds, frozen, fordhook, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.82 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2918 | Beans, lima (fordhook), frozen, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.82 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2919 | Dessert, pudding, chocolate, dry mix, regular, unprepared | Sweets | 1.82 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2920 | Beets, canned, drained solids | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.82 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2921 | Beans, lima (fordhook), frozen, boiled, drained | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.82 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2922 | Lima beans, large, mature seeds, canned | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.81 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2923 | Fast foods, submarine sandwich, cold cut on white bread with lettuce and tomato | Fast Foods | 1.81 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2924 | SUBWAY, cold cut sub on white bread with lettuce and tomato | Fast Foods | 1.81 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2925 | Vermicelli, made from soy | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.81 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2926 | Macaroni or noodles with cheese, made from reduced fat packaged mix, unprepared | Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes | 1.81 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2927 | Rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, cooked | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 1.81 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2928 | Vermicelli, made from soy, dry | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.81 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2929 | Fast foods, sandwiches and burgers, submarine sandwich on white bread with coldcuts, lettuce and tomatoes | Fast Foods | 1.81 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2930 | Beans, lima, dry, large, canned, solids and liquid | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.81 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2931 | Pancakes, plain, prepared from recipe | Baked Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2932 | Cake, pudding-type, carrot, dry mix | Baked Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2933 | Beverages, Cocoa mix, NESTLE, Hot Cocoa Mix Rich Chocolate With Marshmallows | Beverages | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2934 | Danish pastry, cheese | Baked Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2935 | Cocoa mix, NESTLE, Rich Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix | Beverages | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2936 | Chard, swiss, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2937 | Agave, raw (Southwest) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2938 | Rice, brown, medium-grain, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) | Cereal Grains and Pasta | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2939 | Dandelion greens, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2940 | Dandelion greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2941 | Luncheon slices, meatless | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2942 | Pizza rolls, frozen, unprepared | Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2943 | Snacks, rice cakes, brown rice, rye | Snacks | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2944 | Seaweed, laver, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | USDA_SR |
| 2945 | Turnover, fruit (apple, berry, cherry, peach) | Baked Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2946 | Pizza roll, frozen, unprepared | Mixed Dishes | 1.80 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2947 | Dandelion greens, boiled, drained, with salt | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2948 | Agave, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2949 | Meatless, luncheon slices | Legumes and Legume Products | 1.80 mg | 10% | CNF |
| 2950 | Hot chocolate, rich, mix, powder | Beverages | 1.80 mg | 10% | CNF |
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