Food Sources of Iron ranked by milligrams of iron per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 10% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for teenage and adult females, which is 18 mg/day.)
Food, Standard Amount |
Iron (mg) |
Calories |
Clams, canned, drained, 3 oz |
23.8 |
126 |
*Fortified dry cereals (various), about 1 oz |
1.8 to 21.1 |
54 to 127 |
Cooked oysters, cooked, 3 oz |
10.2 |
116 |
Organ meats (liver, giblets), cooked, 3 oza
|
5.2 to 9.9 |
134 to 235 |
*Fortified instant cooked cereals (various), 1 packet |
4.9 to 8.1 |
Varies |
*Soybeans, mature, cooked, ½ cup |
4.4 |
149 |
*Pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, 1 oz |
4.2 |
148 |
*White beans, canned, ½ cup |
3.9 |
153 |
*Blackstrap molasses, 1 Tbsp |
3.5 |
47 |
*Lentils, cooked, ½ cup |
3.3 |
115 |
*Spinach, cooked from fresh, ½ cup |
3.2 |
21 |
Beef, chuck, blade roast, cooked, 3 oz |
3.1 |
215 |
Beef, bottom round, cooked, 3 oz |
2.8 |
182 |
*Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup |
2.6 |
112 |
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 3 oz |
2.5 |
177 |
Beef, rib, cooked, 3 oz |
2.4 |
195 |
*Chickpeas, cooked, ½ cup |
2.4 |
134 |
Duck, meat only, roasted, 3 oz |
2.3 |
171 |
Lamb, shoulder, cooked, 3 oz |
2.3 |
237 |
*Prune juice, ¾ cup |
2.3 |
136 |
Shrimp, canned, 3 oz |
2.3 |
102 |
*Cowpeas, cooked, ½ cup |
2.2 |
100 |
Ground beef, 15% fat, cooked, 3 oz |
2.2 |
212 |
*Tomato puree, ½ cup |
2.2 |
48 |
*Lima beans, cooked, ½ cup |
2.2 |
108 |
*Soybeans, green, cooked, ½ cup |
2.2 |
127 |
*Navy beans, cooked, ½ cup |
2.1 |
127 |
*Refried beans, ½ cup |
2.1 |
118 |
Beef, top sirloin, cooked, 3 oz |
2.0 |
156 |
*Tomato paste, ¼ cup |
2.0 |
54 |
Food Sources of iron are ranked by milligrams of iron per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 10% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for teenage and adult females, which is 18 mg/day.)
aHigh in cholesterol.
*These are non-heme iron sources. To improve absorption, eat these with a vitamin-C rich food.
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