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Foods high in iron include fortified breakfast cereals, oysters, liver, canned white beans, edamame, dark chocolate, tofu, lentils and spinach, each supplying roughly a fifth of the Daily Value or more per serving in USDA data. How much of that iron you absorb depends on its form: meat, poultry and seafood contain heme iron, which the body absorbs well, while plant foods contain only non-heme iron, which absorbs better when you eat it with vitamin C. Below is a USDA chart of iron rich foods, how absorption works, how much iron the official reference values call for, and when to talk to a clinician.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods or stand-alone iron supplements. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Oysters, liver and canned white beans top the USDA chart per serving; fortified cereals vary by brand.
- Heme iron from animal foods is absorbed better than non-heme iron from plants and fortified foods.
- Vitamin C and meat increase non-heme iron absorption; phytate, some polyphenols and calcium can reduce it.
- NIH says people who eat a vegetarian diet need 1.8 times the iron of people who eat meat.
- Low iron and anemia are diagnosed with blood tests, so talk to your clinician before taking iron pills.
Foods high in iron: USDA chart
The values below come from the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy database, converted from the per-100-gram figure to a common serving. The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Value for iron of 18 milligrams for adults and children 4 and older. A food with 20% DV or more per serving counts as a high source, but smaller amounts still add up across a day.
| Food (USDA description, shortened) | Serving | Iron per serving, milligrams | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken liver, simmered | 3 oz (85 g) | 9.9 | 55% |
| Oysters, eastern, wild, cooked | 3 oz (85 g) | 7.8 | 43% |
| White beans, canned | 1 cup (262 g) | 7.8 | 44% |
| Beef liver, pan-fried | 3 oz (85 g) | 5.2 | 29% |
| Edamame, frozen, prepared | 1 cup (155 g) | 3.5 | 20% |
| Dark chocolate, 70-85% cacao | 1 oz (28 g) | 3.4 | 19% |
| Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulfate | 1/2 cup (126 g) | 3.4 | 19% |
| Lentils, boiled | 1/2 cup (99 g) | 3.3 | 18% |
| Spinach, boiled | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 3.2 | 18% |
| Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup (185 g) | 2.8 | 15% |
| Pumpkin seed kernels, dried | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.5 | 14% |
| Sardines, canned in oil | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.5 | 14% |
| Hemp seeds, hulled | 3 tbsp (30 g) | 2.4 | 13% |
| Chickpeas, boiled | 1/2 cup (82 g) | 2.4 | 13% |
| Ground beef, 85% lean, broiled | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.2 | 12% |
| Turkey leg, roasted | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.0 | 11% |
| Baked potato with skin | 1 medium (173 g) | 1.9 | 10% |
| Cashews, dry roasted | 1 oz (28 g) | 1.7 | 9% |
| Tomatoes, canned, stewed | 1/2 cup (128 g) | 1.7 | 9% |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 1 large (50 g) | 0.6 | 3% |
Breakfast cereals are missing from the chart because they differ so much by brand: the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) uses a cereal fortified with 100% of the DV as its top example, while others contain far less. Check the Nutrition Facts panel. In the US, wheat flour is commonly fortified with iron, so bread and other grain products add non-heme iron too. Animal foods dominate the top of most lists of high iron foods, but several plant foods hold their own per serving.
Heme vs non-heme iron
According to ODS, heme vs non-heme iron is mostly a question of where the iron comes from and how well it is absorbed. Meat, poultry and seafood contain both forms; plants and iron-fortified foods contain only non-heme iron. Heme iron makes up only about 10% to 15% of the iron people eat in Western countries, yet it is absorbed better and is less affected by the rest of the meal. ODS estimates that about 14% to 18% of iron is absorbed from mixed diets that include meat, seafood and vitamin C, compared with 5% to 12% from vegetarian diets.
What helps and what hinders absorption
- Vitamin C helps: ODS says ascorbic acid enhances non-heme iron absorption. USDA lists raw red bell pepper at about 128 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, boiled broccoli about 65, strawberries about 59 and oranges about 53, so adding them to beans, lentils or fortified cereal is an easy pairing.
- Meat, poultry and seafood help: eating a little of them with plant foods raises absorption of the non-heme iron in the same meal.
- Phytate and some polyphenols hinder: phytate in grains and beans and certain polyphenols in some plant foods reduce non-heme iron absorption. This is why ODS notes that spinach has low iron bioavailability despite its iron content.
- Calcium may hinder: ODS says calcium might reduce absorption of both heme and non-heme iron, though the effect has not been definitively established. Our calcium supplement guide covers this.
Keep the scale in mind. ODS adds that in a typical Western diet these enhancers and inhibitors have little effect on most people’s iron status. Pairing matters more for people who rely on plant foods or who already need more iron.
Iron rich foods for vegetarians and vegans
Because non-heme iron is absorbed less well, ODS states that the iron requirement is 1.8 times higher for people who follow vegetarian diets than for people who eat meat. Good vegetarian iron sources in the USDA chart include canned white beans, edamame, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, pumpkin and hemp seeds, quinoa, dark chocolate and cooked spinach, plus fortified cereals and breads. A few practical combinations: lentil soup with tomatoes, a bean chili with red peppers, tofu stir-fried with broccoli, or fortified cereal with strawberries. Many of the same foods supply zinc and protein; see our lists of foods high in zinc and high protein foods.
How much iron do you need?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) below are official reference values from the Food and Nutrition Board, as listed by ODS. They are population figures, not a personal target; your clinician can tell you what applies to you.
| Group | RDA, milligrams per day |
|---|---|
| Men 19 and older | 8 |
| Women 19 to 50 | 18 |
| Women 51 and older | 8 |
| Teens 14 to 18, boys | 11 |
| Teens 14 to 18, girls | 15 |
| Pregnancy | 27 |
| Breastfeeding, 19 to 50 | 9 |
| People eating a vegetarian diet | 1.8 times the values above |
Most people in the US get enough iron from food, according to ODS. Groups more likely to fall short include pregnant women, infants and young children, teenage girls, women with heavy menstrual bleeding and frequent blood donors (ODS cites studies finding that 25% to 35% of regular donors develop iron deficiency), as well as people with some digestive conditions, cancer or heart failure. People eating much less on GLP-1 medicines should also watch iron intake; our GLP-1 diet guide covers the 2025 nutrition advisory.
Think you might be low in iron?
Do not guess. Low iron and anemia are diagnosed with blood tests, and the cause matters, so talk to your clinician if you are worried about your iron status. Food choices are a reasonable everyday step, but they are not a substitute for that conversation.
When more iron is not better
ODS says adults with normal digestion have very little risk of iron overload from food alone. The exceptions are important. People with hereditary hemochromatosis absorb too much iron, and liver specialists advise them to avoid iron and vitamin C supplements. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for adults is 45 milligrams a day from food and supplements combined, a limit mainly reached with pills. Iron supplements can also reduce zinc absorption and interact with medicines such as levothyroxine, and the FDA requires a label warning that accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6, so keep them out of reach. If a clinician does recommend iron pills, our guide to iron supplement side effects explains what to expect, and our third-party testing guide explains quality seals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods are highest in iron?
Per serving in USDA data, fortified cereals, chicken and beef liver, oysters and canned white beans are at the top, followed by edamame, dark chocolate, tofu, lentils and spinach.
What are good vegetarian iron sources?
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, pumpkin and hemp seeds, quinoa, spinach and fortified cereals and breads. Pair them with a vitamin C food to improve absorption.
Is spinach a good source of iron?
It contains a fair amount, but ODS notes its iron is poorly absorbed because spinach also contains polyphenols that inhibit absorption.
What is the difference between heme and non-heme iron?
Heme iron comes from meat, poultry and seafood and is absorbed well. Non-heme iron is found in plants, fortified foods and also in meat, and its absorption depends more on the rest of the meal.
Does vitamin C help iron absorption?
Yes for non-heme iron. ODS says ascorbic acid enhances its absorption, which is why beans with peppers or tomatoes is a common pairing.
Can you get too much iron from food?
Rarely, if digestion is normal. People with hereditary hemochromatosis are the main exception and should follow their clinician’s advice.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a mineral supplement, especially if you take medicines or are pregnant. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Iron Supplement Side Effects: Constipation, Timing and Safety, Foods High in Zinc: USDA List for Meat Eaters, Vegetarians and Vegans, Vitamin C Supplement: Benefits, Side Effects and Label Checks.