Food Sources of Iron
Iron helps carry oxygen throughout your body and getting enough is important for growth and development. Use the tables below to identify foods and drinks with iron that fit your culture and lifestyle. By making shifts toward a healthy eating routine, you can meet your food group and iron needs. To find out more about iron, check out these factsheets for consumers and for health professionals.
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Iron: Nutrient-densea Food and Beverage Sources, Amounts of Iron and Energy per Standard Portion
FOODbc STANDARD
PORTIONdCALORIES IRON
(mg)Protein Foodse (heme sources) Oyster 3 oysters 123 6.9 Mussels 3 ounces 146 5.7 Duck, breast 3 ounces 119 3.8 Turkey Egg 1 egg 135 3.2 Bison 3 ounces 122 2.9 Duck Egg 1 egg 130 2.7 Beef 3 ounces 173 2.5 Sardines, canned 3 ounces 177 2.5 Crab 3 ounces 98 2.5 Clams 3 ounces 126 2.4 Lamb 3 ounces 158 2.0 Turkey, leg 3 ounces 177 2.0 Shrimp 3 ounces 85 1.8 Organ meats (various) 3 ounces ~85-200 1.8-19 Game meats (various) 3 ounces ~115-180 1.8-8.5 Protein Foods (non-heme sources) Sesame seeds 1/2 ounce 81 2.1 Cashews 1 ounce 157 1.9 Grains (non-heme sources) Ready-to-eat cereal, whole grain kernels, fortified 1/2 cup 209 16.2 Hot Wheat Cereal, fortified 1 cup 132 12.8 Ready-to-eat cereal, toasted oat, fortified 1 cup 111 9.0 Ready-to-eat cereal, bran flakes, fortified 3/4 cup 98 8.4 Vegetables (non-heme sources) Spinach, cooked 1 cup 41 6.4 Artichokes, Jerusalem, cooked 1 cup 110 5.1 Lima beans (white), cooked* 1 cup 216 4.9 Hyacinth beans, cooked 1/2 cup 114 4.4 Soybeans, cooked* 1/2 cup 148 4.4 Swiss chard, cooked 1 cup 35 4.0 Chrysanthemum leaves, cooked 1 cup 20 3.7 Winged beans, cooked 1/2 cup 127 3.7 Stewed tomatoes, canned 1 cup 66 3.4 White beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 125 3.3 Lentils, cooked* 1/2 cup 115 3.3 Amaranth leaves, cooked 1 cup 28 3.0 Asparagus, raw 1 cup 27 2.9 Beets, cooked 1 cup 49 2.9 Moth beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 104 2.8 Beet greens, cooked 1 cup 39 2.7 Jute, cooked 1 cup 32 2.7 Mushrooms, cooked 1 cup 44 2.7 Arrowroot, cooked 1 cup 78 2.7 Green peas, cooked 1 cup 134 2.5 Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked* 1/2 cup 135 2.4 Adzuki beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 147 2.3 Pumpkin leaves, cooked 1 cup 15 2.3 Yardlong beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 101 2.3 Mustard spinach, raw 1 cup 33 2.3 Yellow beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 128 2.2 Collard greens, cooked 1 cup 63 2.2 Navy beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 128 2.2 Cowpeas, dried and cooked* 1/2 cup 99 2.1 Poi (taro root) 1 cup 269 2.1 Peas in the pod, raw 1 cup 41 2.0 Kidney beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 113 2.0 Pink beans, cooked 1/2 cup 126 1.9 Acorn squash, cooked 1 cup 115 1.9 Dandelion greens, cooked 1 cup 35 1.9 Great northern beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 105 1.9 Leeks, cooked 1 cup 54 1.9 Potato, baked, with skin 1 medium 161 1.9 Cranberry (roman) beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 121 1.9 Black beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 114 1.8 Pinto beans, cooked* 1/2 cup 123 1.8 Sweet potato, cooked 1 cup 190 1.8 Fruits (non-heme sources) Prune juice, 100% 1 cup 182 3.0 * Beans, peas, and lentils are listed under Vegetables but can also be counted in the Protein Foods group.
a All foods listed are assumed to be in nutrient-dense forms; lean or low-fat and prepared with minimal or no added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
b Some fortified foods and beverages are included. Other fortified options may exist on the market, but not all fortified foods are nutrient-dense. For example, some foods with added sugars may be fortified and would not be examples in the lists provided here.
c Some foods or beverages are not appropriate for all ages, particularly young children for whom some foods could be a choking hazard.
d This list includes “standard” portions, which provide at least 1.8 mg iron. Portions listed are not necessarily recommended serving sizes.
e Seafood varieties include choices from the FDA/EPA joint “Advice About Eating Fish,” available at FDA.gov/fishadvice and EPA.gov/fishadvice from the “Best Choices” list. Varieties from the “Best Choices” list that contain even lower methylmercury include: flatfish (e.g., flounder), salmon, tilapia, shrimp, catfish, crab, trout, haddock, oysters, sardines, squid, pollock, anchovies, crawfish, mullet, scallops, whiting, clams, shad, and Atlantic mackerel.
Data Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
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Iron: Nutrient-densea Food and Beverage Sources, Amounts of Iron and Energy per Smaller Portion
FOODbc SMALLER
PORTIONdCALORIES IRON
(mg)Protein Foodse (heme sources) Oyster 1 oyster 41 2.3 Mussels 1 ounce 49 1.9 Turkey Egg 1/2 egg 68 1.6 Duck Egg 1/2 egg 65 1.3 Duck, breast 1 ounce 40 1.3 Bison 1 ounce 41 1.0 Beef 1 ounce 58 0.8 Sardines, canned 1 ounce 59 0.8 Crab 1 ounce 33 0.8 Clams 1 ounce 42 0.8 Lamb 1 ounce 53 0.7 Turkey, leg 1 ounce 59 0.7 Shrimp 1 ounce 28 0.6 Organ meats (various) 1 ounce ~30-100 0.6-6.3 Game meats (various) 1 ounce ~40-60 0.6-2.8 Protein Foods (non-heme sources) Sesame seeds 1/4 ounce 41 1.0 Cashews 1/2 ounce 79 0.9 Grains (non-heme sources) Ready-to-eat cereal, whole grain kernels, fortified 1/4 cup 105 8.1 Hot Wheat Cereal, fortified 1/2 cup 66 6.4 Ready-to-eat cereal, toasted oat, fortified 1/2 cup 56 4.5 Ready-to-eat cereal, bran flakes, fortified 1/4 cup 33 2.8 Fortified infant cereal, oat (dry) 1 tablespoon 15 2.4 Fortified infant cereal, rice (dry) 1 tablespoon 15 2.0 Fortified infant cereal, multi-grain (dry) 1 tablespoon 15 1.1 Vegetables (non-heme sources) Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup 21 3.2 Artichokes, Jerusalem, cooked 1/2 cup 55 2.6 Lima beans (white), cooked* 1/2 cup 108 2.3 Hyacinth beans, cooked 1/4 cup 57 2.2 Soybeans, cooked* 1/4 cup 74 2.2 Swiss chard, cooked 1/2 cup 18 2.0 Chrysanthemum leaves, cooked 1/2 cup 10 1.9 Winged beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 63 1.9 Stewed tomatoes, canned 1/2 cup 33 1.7 White beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 62 1.7 Lentils, cooked 1/4 cup 58 1.6 Amaranth leaves, cooked 1/2 cup 14 1.5 Asparagus, raw 1/2 cup 14 1.4 Beets, cooked 1/2 cup 25 1.4 Moth beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 52 1.4 Beet greens, cooked 1/2 cup 20 1.4 Jute, cooked 1/2 cup 16 1.4 Mushrooms, cooked 1/2 cup 22 1.4 Arrowroot, cooked 1/2 cup 39 1.3 Green peas, cooked 1/2 cup 67 1.2 Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked* 1/4 cup 67 1.2 Adzuki beans, cooked 1/4 cup 74 1.2 Pumpkin leaves, cooked 1/2 cup 8 1.1 Yardlong beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 51 1.1 Mustard spinach, raw 1/2 cup 17 1.1 Yellow beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 64 1.1 Collard greens, cooked 1/2 cup 32 1.1 Navy beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 64 1.1 Cowpeas, dried and cooked* 1/4 cup 50 1.1 Poi (taro root) 1/2 cup 135 1.1 Peas in the pod, raw 1/2 cup 21 1.0 Kidney beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 56 1.0 Pink beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 63 1.0 Acorn squash, cooked 1/2 cup 58 1.0 Dandelion greens, cooked 1/2 cup 18 0.9 Great northern beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 52 0.9 Leeks, cooked 1/2 cup 27 0.9 Potato, baked, with skin 1/2 medium 81 0.9 Cranberry (roman) beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 60 0.9 Black beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 57 0.9 Pinto beans, cooked* 1/4 cup 62 0.9 Sweet potato, cooked 1/2 cup 95 0.9 Fruit (non-heme sources) Prune juice, 100% 1/2 cup 91 1.5 * The nutrition found in beans, peas, and lentils is similar to foods in both the Vegetables and Protein Foods groups.
a All foods listed are assumed to be in nutrient-dense forms; lean or low-fat and prepared with minimal or no added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
b Some fortified foods and beverages are included. Other fortified options may exist on the market, but not all fortified foods are nutrient-dense. For example, some foods with added sugars may be fortified and would not be examples in the lists provided here.
c Some foods or beverages are not appropriate for all ages, particularly young children for whom some foods could be a choking hazard.
d Portions listed are not recommended serving sizes. Two lists—in ‘standard’ and ‘smaller’ portions--are provided for each dietary component. Standard portions provide at least 1.8 mg of iron. Smaller portions are generally one half of a standard portion.
e Seafood varieties include choices from the FDA/EPA joint “Advice About Eating Fish,” available at FDA.gov/fishadvice and EPA.gov/fishadvice from the “Best Choices” list. Varieties from the “Best Choices” list that contain even lower methylmercury include: flatfish (e.g., flounder), salmon, tilapia, shrimp, catfish, crab, trout, haddock, oysters, sardines, squid, pollock, anchovies, crawfish, mullet, scallops, whiting, clams, shad, and Atlantic mackerel.
Data Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.