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.
FDA daily value: 18 mg
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Showing 1–50 of 7,481 foods
| # | Food | Category | Per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spices, thyme, dried | Spices and Herbs | 123.60 mg | 687% |
| 2 | Spices, basil, dried | Spices and Herbs | 89.80 mg | 499% |
| 3 | Spearmint, dried | Spices and Herbs | 87.47 mg | 486% |
| 4 | Spices, marjoram, dried | Spices and Herbs | 82.71 mg | 460% |
| 5 | Whale, beluga, meat, dried (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 72.35 mg | 402% |
| 6 | Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON Enriched Wheat Bran flakes | Breakfast Cereals | 67.67 mg | 376% |
| 7 | Babyfood, cereal, oatmeal, with honey, dry | Baby Foods | 67.23 mg | 374% |
| 8 | Seaweed, Canadian Cultivated EMI-TSUNOMATA, dry | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 66.38 mg | 369% |
| 9 | Spices, cumin seed | Spices and Herbs | 66.36 mg | 369% |
| 10 | Babyfood, cereal, oatmeal, dry fortified | Baby Foods | 64.10 mg | 356% |
| 11 | Babyfood, cereal, Oatmeal, dry, GERBER, SINGLE GRAIN, fortified | Baby Foods | 64.03 mg | 356% |
| 12 | Spices, turmeric, ground | Spices and Herbs | 55.00 mg | 306% |
| 13 | Parsley, freeze-dried | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 53.90 mg | 299% |
| 14 | Babyfood, cereal, rice, dry fortified | Baby Foods | 53.01 mg | 294% |
| 15 | Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, dried (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 49.60 mg | 276% |
| 16 | Cereals, QUAKER, Quick Oats with Iron, Dry | Breakfast Cereals | 49.45 mg | 275% |
| 17 | Spices, dill weed, dried | Spices and Herbs | 48.78 mg | 271% |
| 18 | Babyfood, cereal, barley, dry fortified | Baby Foods | 48.21 mg | 268% |
| 19 | Babyfood, cereal, brown rice, dry, instant | Baby Foods | 47.60 mg | 264% |
| 20 | Babyfood, rice cereal, dry, EARTHS BEST ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN, fortified only with iron | Baby Foods | 47.53 mg | 264% |
| 21 | Babyfood, cereal, rice, with bananas, dry | Baby Foods | 47.50 mg | 264% |
| 22 | Babyfood, cereal, high protein, with apple and orange, dry | Baby Foods | 47.50 mg | 264% |
| 23 | Babyfood, cereal, mixed, with bananas, dry | Baby Foods | 47.50 mg | 264% |
| 24 | Babyfood, cereal, oatmeal, with bananas, dry | Baby Foods | 45.00 mg | 250% |
| 25 | Babyfood, cereal, whole wheat, with apples, dry fortified | Baby Foods | 45.00 mg | 250% |
| 26 | Spices, celery seed | Spices and Herbs | 44.90 mg | 249% |
| 27 | Beef, variety meats and by-products, spleen, raw | Beef Products | 44.55 mg | 247% |
| 28 | Spices, bay leaf | Spices and Herbs | 43.00 mg | 239% |
| 29 | Walrus, meat, dried (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 43.00 mg | 239% |
| 30 | Cereals, MALT-O-MEAL, chocolate, dry | Breakfast Cereals | 42.88 mg | 238% |
| 31 | Spices, coriander leaf, dried | Spices and Herbs | 42.46 mg | 236% |
| 32 | Cereals, QUAKER, Instant Grits, Redeye Gravy & Country Ham flavor, dry | Breakfast Cereals | 42.03 mg | 234% |
| 33 | Lamb, variety meats and by-products, spleen, raw | Lamb, Veal, and Game Products | 41.89 mg | 233% |
| 34 | Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, OAT BLENDERS with honey & almonds | Breakfast Cereals | 41.38 mg | 230% |
| 35 | Cereals, MALT-O-MEAL, Farina Hot Wheat Cereal, dry | Breakfast Cereals | 40.93 mg | 227% |
| 36 | Beef, variety meats and by-products, spleen, cooked, braised | Beef Products | 39.36 mg | 219% |
| 37 | Cereals, QUAKER, corn grits, instant, plain, dry | Breakfast Cereals | 38.75 mg | 215% |
| 38 | Lamb, variety meats and by-products, spleen, cooked, braised | Lamb, Veal, and Game Products | 38.67 mg | 215% |
| 39 | Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON Corn Biscuits | Breakfast Cereals | 38.37 mg | 213% |
| 40 | Cereals, QUAKER, Instant Grits, Ham 'n' Cheese flavor, dry | Breakfast Cereals | 38.20 mg | 212% |
| 41 | Spices, savory, ground | Spices and Herbs | 37.88 mg | 210% |
| 42 | Babyfood, rice and apples, dry | Baby Foods | 37.00 mg | 206% |
| 43 | Spices, anise seed | Spices and Herbs | 36.96 mg | 205% |
| 44 | Spices, oregano, dried | Spices and Herbs | 36.80 mg | 204% |
| 45 | Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, HERSHEY'S European Style Cocoa | Sweets | 36.00 mg | 200% |
| 46 | Spices, poultry seasoning | Spices and Herbs | 35.30 mg | 196% |
| 47 | Cereals ready-to-eat, POST, HONEY BUNCHES OF OATS, honey roasted | Breakfast Cereals | 34.82 mg | 193% |
| 48 | Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, Blueberry MUFFIN TOPS Cereal | Breakfast Cereals | 34.29 mg | 190% |
| 49 | Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, HONEY GRAHAM SQUARES | Breakfast Cereals | 33.81 mg | 188% |
| 50 | Cereals ready-to-eat, POST, HONEY BUNCHES OF OATS, with almonds | Breakfast Cereals | 33.80 mg | 188% |
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