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Fruits high in iron make a short list: in USDA data, most of the raw fruit entries in this guide show less than 1 milligram of iron per cup. This guide ranks fresh fruits per cup and dried fruits per ounce from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy data, shows each figure against the FDA Daily Value for iron of 18 milligrams, and explains what drying does to the numbers. For iron across all food groups, see our guide to foods high in iron.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- In USDA data, a cup of purple granadilla lists about 3.78 milligrams of iron, 21% of the FDA Daily Value, the top of the fresh fruits in this guide.
- Per ounce in USDA data, the dried goji entry lists 1.93 milligrams of iron and dried peaches 1.15 milligrams; the other dried entries here show under 1 milligram.
- Drying removes water, so per 100 grams in USDA data the dried apricot entry lists 2.66 milligrams of iron against 0.39 milligrams for raw apricots.
- The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says plants contain nonheme iron only, and that vitamin C enhances the bioavailability of nonheme iron.
Fresh fruits high in iron, per cup
The table lists USDA SR Legacy entries for raw fruit at the first 1-cup portion USDA gives for each, ranked by iron. The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values of 18 milligrams for iron, 90 milligrams for vitamin C and 28 grams for fiber. Vitamin C is shown because the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements describes it as a substance that enhances the bioavailability of nonheme iron.
| Fruit (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Iron (% DV) | Vitamin C (% DV) | Fiber (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passion fruit, purple (169108) | 1 cup (236 g) | 229 | 3.78 mg (21%) | 70.8 mg (79%) | 24.5 g (88%) |
| Tamarinds (167763) | 1 cup, pulp (120 g) | 287 | 3.36 mg (19%) | 4.2 mg (5%) | 6.1 g (22%) |
| Mulberries (169913) | 1 cup (140 g) | 60 | 2.59 mg (14%) | 51.0 mg (57%) | 2.4 g (8%) |
| Sapodilla (167759) | 1 cup, pulp (241 g) | 200 | 1.93 mg (11%) | 35.4 mg (39%) | 12.8 g (46%) |
| Blackberries (173946) | 1 cup (144 g) | 62 | 0.89 mg (5%) | 30.2 mg (34%) | 7.6 g (27%) |
| Raspberries (167755) | 1 cup (123 g) | 64 | 0.85 mg (5%) | 32.2 mg (36%) | 8.0 g (29%) |
| Avocados (171705) | 1 cup, cubes (150 g) | 240 | 0.82 mg (5%) | 15.0 mg (17%) | 10.1 g (36%) |
| Strawberries (167762) | 1 cup, halves (152 g) | 49 | 0.62 mg (3%) | 89.4 mg (99%) | 3.0 g (11%) |
| Kiwifruit, green (168153) | 1 cup, sliced (180 g) | 110 | 0.56 mg (3%) | 166.9 mg (185%) | 5.4 g (19%) |
| Grapes, red or green (174683) | 1 cup (151 g) | 104 | 0.54 mg (3%) | 4.8 mg (5%) | 1.4 g (5%) |
| Guavas (173044) | 1 cup (165 g) | 112 | 0.43 mg (2%) | 376.7 mg (419%) | 8.9 g (32%) |
| Oranges (169097) | 1 cup, sections (180 g) | 85 | 0.18 mg (1%) | 95.8 mg (106%) | 4.3 g (15%) |
Among these high iron fruits in USDA data, purple passion fruit lists 3.78 milligrams per cup and tamarind pulp 3.36 milligrams, while mulberries list 2.59 milligrams. Berries such as blackberries and raspberries list under 1 milligram per cup in USDA data. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that foods providing 20% or more of the FDA Daily Value are considered high sources of a nutrient; a Nutrition Facts label uses the label serving, not the cup shown here.
Several of these fruits show more vitamin C than iron by a wide margin in USDA data: a cup of guava lists 376.7 milligrams of vitamin C and a cup of kiwifruit 166.9 milligrams. Our guide to fruits high in vitamin C covers that nutrient.
Iron rich fruits among dried fruits, per ounce
The next table uses 1 ounce (28.35 grams) of each dried entry from USDA SR Legacy, ranked by iron, with the same FDA Daily Values. USDA lists the dried peach, apricot, pear and apple entries as sulfured and the dried cranberry, blueberry and tart cherry entries as sweetened.
| Dried fruit (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Iron (% DV) | Fiber (% DV) | Vitamin C (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goji berries, dried (173032) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 99 | 1.93 mg (11%) | 3.7 g (13%) | 13.7 mg (15%) |
| Peaches, dried (169934) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 68 | 1.15 mg (6%) | 2.3 g (8%) | 1.4 mg (2%) |
| Apricots, dried (173941) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 68 | 0.75 mg (4%) | 2.1 g (7%) | 0.3 mg (0%) |
| Pears, dried (169121) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 74 | 0.60 mg (3%) | 2.1 g (8%) | 2.0 mg (2%) |
| Figs, dried (174665) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 71 | 0.58 mg (3%) | 2.8 g (10%) | 0.3 mg (0%) |
| Currants, zante, dried (171724) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 82 | 0.53 mg (3%) | 1.2 g (4%) | 1.3 mg (1%) |
| Raisins, dark, seedless (168165) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 85 | 0.51 mg (3%) | 1.3 g (5%) | 0.7 mg (1%) |
| Apples, dried (171691) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 69 | 0.40 mg (2%) | 2.5 g (9%) | 1.1 mg (1%) |
| Dates, deglet noor (171726) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 80 | 0.29 mg (2%) | 2.3 g (8%) | 0.1 mg (0%) |
| Raisins, golden, seedless (168164) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 85 | 0.28 mg (2%) | 0.9 g (3%) | 0.9 mg (1%) |
| Prunes (dried plums) (168162) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 68 | 0.26 mg (1%) | 2.0 g (7%) | 0.2 mg (0%) |
| Dates, medjool (168191) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 79 | 0.26 mg (1%) | 1.9 g (7%) | 0.0 mg (0%) |
| Blueberries, dried, sweetened (168158) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 90 | 0.26 mg (1%) | 2.1 g (8%) | 6.7 mg (7%) |
| Persimmons, Japanese, dried (169942) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 78 | 0.21 mg (1%) | 4.1 g (15%) | 0.0 mg (0%) |
| Cherries, tart, dried, sweetened (171708) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 94 | 0.19 mg (1%) | 0.7 g (3%) | 5.5 mg (6%) |
| Cranberries, dried, sweetened (171723) | 1 oz (28.35 g) | 87 | 0.11 mg (1%) | 1.5 g (5%) | 0.1 mg (0%) |
Per ounce in USDA data, dried goji berries list 1.93 milligrams of iron, the most of these iron rich fruits, and dried peaches 1.15 milligrams. Dried apricots list 0.75 milligrams, dried figs 0.58 milligrams, dark raisins 0.51 milligrams and prunes 0.26 milligrams per ounce in USDA data. Both date entries, deglet noor and medjool, list under 0.3 milligrams in USDA data. USDA lists these dried entries at 68 to 99 calories per ounce.
Fresh and dried: what drying does to the numbers
Drying removes water, so the nutrients left behind are packed into fewer grams. The table compares the same fruit raw and dried per 100 grams in USDA SR Legacy data, with water shown in grams.
| Fruit form (USDA FDC ID) | Amount | Water | Calories | Iron (% DV) | Vitamin C (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apricots, raw (171697) | 100 g | 86.3 g | 48 | 0.39 mg (2%) | 10.0 mg (11%) |
| Apricots, dried (173941) | 100 g | 30.9 g | 241 | 2.66 mg (15%) | 1.0 mg (1%) |
| Plums, raw (169949) | 100 g | 87.2 g | 46 | 0.17 mg (1%) | 9.5 mg (11%) |
| Prunes (dried plums) (168162) | 100 g | 30.9 g | 240 | 0.93 mg (5%) | 0.6 mg (1%) |
| Grapes, raw (174683) | 100 g | 80.5 g | 69 | 0.36 mg (2%) | 3.2 mg (4%) |
| Raisins, dark, seedless (168165) | 100 g | 15.5 g | 299 | 1.79 mg (10%) | 2.3 mg (3%) |
| Figs, raw (173021) | 100 g | 79.1 g | 74 | 0.37 mg (2%) | 2.0 mg (2%) |
| Figs, dried (174665) | 100 g | 30.1 g | 249 | 2.03 mg (11%) | 1.2 mg (1%) |
| Peaches, yellow, raw (169928) | 100 g | 88.9 g | 39 | 0.25 mg (1%) | 6.6 mg (7%) |
| Peaches, dried (169934) | 100 g | 31.8 g | 239 | 4.06 mg (23%) | 4.8 mg (5%) |
| Persimmons, Japanese, raw (169941) | 100 g | 80.3 g | 70 | 0.15 mg (1%) | 7.5 mg (8%) |
| Persimmons, Japanese, dried (169942) | 100 g | 23.0 g | 274 | 0.74 mg (4%) | 0.0 mg (0%) |
Per 100 grams in USDA data, dried peaches list 4.06 milligrams of iron against 0.25 milligrams for raw yellow peaches, and raisins 1.79 milligrams against 0.36 milligrams for raw grapes. Calories rise in the same way, from 48 to 241 for apricots in USDA data. Vitamin C moves the other way: USDA lists raw apricots at 10.0 milligrams per 100 grams and the dried apricot entry at 1.0 milligrams, and the dried Japanese persimmon entry at 0.0 milligrams.
Nonheme iron and vitamin C in fruit
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) says dietary iron has two main forms, heme and nonheme, and that “plants and iron-fortified foods contain nonheme iron only,” while meat, seafood and poultry contain both. ODS says heme iron has higher bioavailability than nonheme iron. Every fruit in this guide is a plant food, so its iron is nonheme iron in ODS’s terms; our guide to heme and nonheme iron covers the animal foods.
ODS describes vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, as a substance “which enhances the bioavailability of nonheme iron,” and says meat, poultry and seafood can also enhance nonheme iron absorption. ODS adds that the effects of enhancers and inhibitors of iron absorption are attenuated by a typical western diet, “so they have little effect on most people’s iron status.”
Other fruit entries and label notes
- Olives: USDA files ripe canned olives with fruits; per 100 grams the entry lists 6.28 milligrams of iron and 735 milligrams of sodium, 32% of the FDA Daily Value of 2,300 milligrams.
- Juice: USDA lists a cup of canned prune juice at 3.02 milligrams of iron, 17% of the FDA Daily Value.
- ODS figures: the NIH ODS iron table lists seedless raisins at 1 milligram per quarter cup, 6% of the FDA Daily Value, and boiled lentils at 3 milligrams per half cup.
- Values vary: USDA SR Legacy figures are averages, and the Nutrition Facts label on a package is the figure for that product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which fruit lists the most iron per cup?
Among the raw fruits in this guide, purple granadilla lists about 3.78 milligrams per cup in USDA data, 21% of the FDA Daily Value, followed by tamarind pulp at 3.36 milligrams.
Do dried fruits have more iron than fresh fruit?
Per 100 grams, yes in USDA data, because drying removes water: the dried apricot entry lists 2.66 milligrams against 0.39 milligrams for raw apricots. Per serving the gap is smaller in USDA data, since an ounce of the dried apricot entry lists 0.75 milligrams.
Is the iron in fruit heme or nonheme iron?
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says plants and iron-fortified foods contain nonheme iron only, so the iron in fruit is nonheme iron.
Does vitamin C affect iron from plant foods?
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says vitamin C enhances the bioavailability of nonheme iron, and that enhancers and inhibitors have little effect on most people’s iron status in a typical western diet.
What does the Daily Value for iron mean on a label?
FDA sets the Daily Value for iron at 18 milligrams for adults and children age 4 and older, and the percent Daily Value on a Nutrition Facts label compares one serving with that figure.
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 supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. 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: Lentils vs Beans: USDA Nutrition Values Side by Side, Foods High in Iron: USDA List, Heme vs Non-Heme Iron and Absorption, Dried Fruit: 16 Types Compared per Ounce in USDA Data, List of Fruits: The Fruit Group With USDA Nutrition Values.