Foods High In Iron
Food sources of iron1
|
Food Group |
Item |
Amount of iron (mg) |
Serving size |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Grain |
Wheat flour* |
2.8 |
125mL |
|
Bread, sliced* |
2.2 |
2 slices |
|
|
Pita* |
1.8 |
1 pita (17cm diameter) |
|
|
Tortilla, wheat* |
1.6 |
1 tortilla (20cm diameter) |
|
|
Pearl barley |
2.2 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Bulgur |
1.8 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Quinoa |
3.4 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Pasta* |
1.9 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Egg noodles |
2.7 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Cereal |
All Bran Buds |
3.5 |
1/3 cup |
|
All Bran Flakes |
9.4 |
1 cup |
|
|
Oatmeal Crisp Almond |
7 |
1 cup |
|
|
Corn flakes |
6.3 |
1 cup |
|
|
Shreddies |
5.1 |
1 cup |
|
|
Rice Krispies |
3.5 |
1 cup |
|
|
Cheerios |
3.2 |
1 cup |
|
|
Shredded Wheat, original |
2.8 |
2 biscuit |
|
|
Shredded Wheat, dark chocolate |
2.8 |
1 cup |
|
|
Seafood |
Clam |
20 |
6 large cooked |
|
Mussel |
5 |
15 small cooked |
|
|
Oyster |
4.9 |
6 raw |
|
|
Sardine, Atlantic |
3.1 |
75g |
|
|
Sardine, Pacific |
2.4 |
75g |
|
|
Shrimp |
2.3 |
75g |
|
|
Scallop |
2.3 |
78g |
|
|
Pickerel (Walleye) |
1.3 |
75g |
|
|
Mackerel, Atlantic |
1.2 |
75g |
|
|
Tuna, light |
1 |
75g |
|
|
Haddock |
1 |
75g |
|
|
Meat and Poultry |
Beef, tenderloin |
2.9 |
75g cooked |
|
Beef, stewing, lean |
2.6 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Beef, flank steak |
2.2 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Beef, ground, lean or extra-lean |
2.1 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Lamb, ground |
1.3 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Lamb, loin |
1.6 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Lamb, rib |
1.2 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Pork, tenterloin |
1 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Pork, back rib |
0.9 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Pork, ground, lean |
0.9 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Veal, ground |
0.7 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Turkey, dark meat, skinless boneless |
1.7 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Turkey, ground |
1.4 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Turkey, light meat, skinless boneless |
1 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Chicken, thigh, skinless boneless |
1 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Liver, chicken |
9.7 |
75g cooked |
|
|
Legume |
Soybean |
6.5 |
175mL cooked |
|
White bean |
5.8 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Lentil |
4.9 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Navy bean |
3.6 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Black bean |
3.4 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Pinto bean |
2.6 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Kidney bean |
2.4 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Chickpea |
2.4 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Split pea |
1.9 |
175mL cooked |
|
|
Hummus |
1.4 |
60mL |
|
|
Nut and seed |
Pumpkin seed |
5.2 |
60mL |
|
Cashew |
2.1 |
60mL |
|
|
Pine nuts |
1.9 |
60mL |
|
|
Almond |
1.6 |
60mL |
|
|
Pistachio |
1.3 |
60mL |
|
|
Sunflower seed |
1.2 |
60mL |
|
|
Vegetable |
Spinach, boiled |
6.8 |
1 cup |
|
Spinach, raw |
0.9 |
1 cup |
|
|
Swiss chard |
4.2 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Snow pea |
3.4 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Green pea |
2.2 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Acorn squash |
2 |
1 cup cooked |
|
|
Potato, baked with skin |
1.9 |
1 medium |
|
|
Tomato, canned |
1.5 |
1 cup |
|
|
Other Food |
Dark chocolate, 70% |
2.5 |
50g |
|
Dark chocolate, 45% |
1.5 |
50g |
*Averages were taken among similar products.
Recommended Intake of Iron2
|
Age or Subgroup |
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)(mg/day) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Infant |
7-12 months |
11 |
|
Children |
1-3 years |
7 |
|
4-8 years |
10 |
|
|
9-13 years |
8 |
|
|
Females |
14-18 years |
15 |
|
19-50 years |
18 |
|
|
>51 years |
8 |
|
|
Pregnant |
27 |
|
|
Lactating |
9-10 |
|
|
Males |
14-18 years |
11 |
|
>19 years |
8 |
Note: Due to lower rate of absorption of iron from plant-based sources, the recommended intake is 1.8 times higher for vegetarians and vegans than the number provided above.
Health Canada. (2008). Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods. Ottawa, ON: Minister of Health
Government of Canada. (2010). Dietary Reference Intake Tables. Ottawa, ON: Canada.ca