Vegetarian foods high in Iron

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 3351–3400 of 8,274 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV Source
3351 McDONALD'S, Deluxe Breakfast, with syrup and margarine Fast Foods 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3352 PAPA JOHN'S 14" The Works Pizza, Original Crust Fast Foods 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3353 Tortellini, pasta with cheese filling, fresh-refrigerated, as purchased Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3354 Soup, black bean, canned, condensed Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3355 Nuts, chestnuts, chinese, roasted Nut and Seed Products 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3356 Winged beans, immature seeds, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3357 Broadbeans, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3358 Babyfood, peas and brown rice Baby Foods 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3359 Candies, HERSHEY'S MILK CHOCOLATE WITH ALMOND BITES Sweets 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3360 Broadbeans, immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3361 Sandwich spread, meatless Legumes and Legume Products 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3362 Mustard spinach, (tendergreen), raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% USDA_SR
3363 Beans, kidney, red, canned, drained and rinsed Legumes and Legume Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3364 Beans, kidney, red, canned, drained solids Legumes and Legume Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3365 Fast foods, sandwiches and burgers, submarine sandwich on white bread, vegetarian, with vegetables only Fast Foods 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3366 Broadbeans (fava beans), fresh, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3367 Sweets, maple taffy Sweets 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3368 Sweets, butter, maple Sweets 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3369 Candies, MILK CHOCOLATE WITH ALMOND BITES Sweets 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3370 Meatless, sandwich spread Legumes and Legume Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3371 Pasta, fresh-refrigerated, tortellini with cheese filling, as purchased Mixed Dishes 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3372 Broadbeans (fava beans), dry, boiled Legumes and Legume Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3373 Broadbeans (fava beans), dry, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3374 Nuts, Chinese chestnuts, roasted Nuts and Seeds 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3375 Winged beans (goa bean), green, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3376 Mustard spinach (tendergreen), raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3377 Broadbeans (fava beans), fresh, boiled, drained Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.50 mg 8% CNF
3378 Pie, mince, prepared from recipe Baked Products 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3379 Pie, chocolate creme, commercially prepared Baked Products 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3380 Snacks, brown rice chips Snacks 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3381 Snacks, granola bars, soft, almond, confectioners coating Snacks 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3382 Snacks, rice cakes, brown rice, plain, unsalted Snacks 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3383 Potatoes, frozen, french fried, par fried, cottage-cut, prepared, heated in oven, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3384 Potatoes, french fried, cottage-cut, salt not added in processing, frozen, oven-heated Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3385 Quinoa, cooked Cereal Grains and Pasta 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3386 Rice, white, medium-grain, enriched, cooked Cereal Grains and Pasta 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3387 Rice cake, cracker (include hain mini rice cakes) Snacks 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3388 Snacks, rice cracker brown rice, plain Snacks 1.49 mg 8% USDA_SR
3389 Snacks, brown rice chips Snacks 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3390 Potato, french-fried, frozen, partially fried, cottage cut, heated in oven, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3391 Grains, quinoa, cooked Cereals, Grains and Pasta 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3392 Snacks, rice cakes, crackers (include mini rice cakes) Baked Products 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3393 Snacks, rice cakes, brown rice, plain, unsalted Snacks 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3394 Snacks, rice cakes, brown rice, plain Snacks 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3395 Pie, mincemeat, homemade, 2 crust Baked Products 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3396 Pie, chocolate cream, commercial Baked Products 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3397 Potato, french-fried, frozen, cottage cut, salt not added in processing, heated in oven Vegetables and Vegetable Products 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3398 Soup, tomato, dehydrated Soups, Sauces and Gravies 1.49 mg 8% CNF
3399 Pie, pecan, prepared from recipe Baked Products 1.48 mg 8% USDA_SR
3400 Cake, pound, commercially prepared, butter (includes fresh and frozen) Baked Products 1.48 mg 8% USDA_SR

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