Iron-Rich Foods: Chart per 100 g
There is no shortage of iron-rich foods – the question is how much of it reaches your body. No chart shows that, including this one. It shows content, not absorption.
Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body, to normal formation of red blood cells and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
The German DGE revised iron in 2024: 16 mg for premenopausal women, 14 mg from age 51, 11 mg for men, 27 mg in pregnancy. Percentages below use 14 mg.
| # | Food | Iron per 100 g | Share of daily reference | Category | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soybeans | 15.7 mg | 112 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 2 | Sesame | 14.6 mg | 104 % | Other | USDA |
| 3 | Caviar | 11.9 mg | 85 % | Chilled | USDA |
| 4 | White beans | 10.4 mg | 75 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 5 | Poppy seeds | 9.8 mg | 70 % | Other | USDA |
| 6 | Chicken liver | 9 mg | 64 % | Meat & fish | USDA |
| 7 | Pumpkin seeds | 8.8 mg | 63 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 8 | Coconut flour | 8 mg | 57 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 9 | Hemp seeds | 8 mg | 57 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 10 | Chia seeds | 7.7 mg | 55 % | Other | USDA |
| 11 | Amaranth | 7.6 mg | 54 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 12 | Red lentils | 7.4 mg | 53 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 13 | Fava beans | 6.7 mg | 48 % | Dry goods & tinned | BLS |
| 14 | Kidney beans | 6.7 mg | 48 % | Other | USDA |
| 15 | Cashew nuts | 6.7 mg | 48 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 16 | Green lentils | 6.5 mg | 47 % | Other | USDA |
| 17 | Lentils | 6.5 mg | 47 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 18 | Soy flour | 6.4 mg | 46 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 19 | Olives | 6.3 mg | 45 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 20 | Flaxseed | 5.7 mg | 41 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 21 | Pine nuts | 5.5 mg | 40 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 22 | Sunflower seeds | 5.3 mg | 38 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 23 | Black beans | 5 mg | 36 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 24 | Borlotti beans | 5 mg | 36 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 25 | Beef liver | 4.9 mg | 35 % | Meat & fish | USDA |
| 26 | Chickpea flour | 4.9 mg | 35 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 27 | Hazelnuts | 4.7 mg | 34 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 28 | Peanuts | 4.6 mg | 33 % | Nuts & seeds | USDA |
| 29 | Quinoa | 4.6 mg | 33 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 30 | Spelt | 4.4 mg | 32 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 31 | Tahini | 4.4 mg | 32 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 32 | Oats | 4.3 mg | 31 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 33 | Chickpeas | 4.3 mg | 31 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 34 | Oats | 4.3 mg | 30 % | Dry goods & tinned | – |
| 35 | Buckwheat flour | 4.1 mg | 29 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 36 | Mussels | 4 mg | 28 % | Meat & fish | USDA |
| 37 | Muesli | 4 mg | 28 % | Dry goods & tinned | – |
| 38 | Pistachios | 3.9 mg | 28 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 39 | Spelt whole grain flour | 3.8 mg | 27 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 40 | Almonds | 3.7 mg | 27 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 41 | Macadamia nuts | 3.7 mg | 26 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 42 | Whole wheat pasta | 3.6 mg | 26 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 43 | Barley | 3.6 mg | 26 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 44 | Bun | 3.4 mg | 25 % | Bakery | – |
| 45 | Jerusalem artichoke | 3.4 mg | 24 % | Fruit & vegetables | USDA |
| 46 | Whole grain pasta | 3.3 mg | 24 % | Other | USDA |
| 47 | Green spelt | 3.3 mg | 24 % | Other | BLS |
| 48 | Desiccated coconut | 3.3 mg | 24 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 49 | Coconut milk | 3.3 mg | 24 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
| 50 | Millet | 3 mg | 22 % | Dry goods & tinned | USDA |
No food found.
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High values, small amounts
These ingredients score very high per 100 g but are eaten by the teaspoon, not by the plate. That is why they are not in the chart above. The right-hand column shows what a usual amount actually contributes.
| Ingredient | per 100 g | usual amount | in that amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa | 13.9 mg | 10 g | 1.39 mg |
| Cumin | 66.4 mg | 2 g | 1.33 mg |
| Turmeric | 55 mg | 2 g | 1.1 mg |
| Fajita seasoning mix | 35.3 mg | 3 g | 1.06 mg |
| Marjoram | 82.7 mg | 1 g | 0.83 mg |
| Fenugreek leaves | 33.5 mg | 2 g | 0.67 mg |
The distinction most charts omit
Iron from meat and fish (heme iron) is absorbed at roughly 15 to 25 percent; iron from plant foods (non-heme) at roughly 2 to 20 percent depending on the meal. Vitamin C in the same meal raises non-heme absorption substantially – lentils with peppers is a different calculation from lentils alone. Coffee, black tea and larger amounts of calcium in the same meal lower it. So a plant food higher up this chart can deliver less than an animal food further down.
How much of it adds up across your week?
Up-Food calculates over 30 nutrients from the real ingredient amounts in your weekly plan – using the same verified values you see in this chart.
See the weekly planFrequently Asked Questions
Which foods are highest in iron?
Among foods eaten in normal amounts: liver, soybeans, sesame, pumpkin seeds, lentils and pulses. Dried herbs and spices rank higher on paper but contribute little at one teaspoon – we show them separately with their per-portion value.
How much iron per day?
Per the 2024 DGE derivation: 16 mg for premenopausal women, 14 mg from age 51, 11 mg for men, 27 mg in pregnancy. US RDAs differ (18 mg / 8 mg).
Is plant-based iron enough?
The amount is usually easy to reach on a plant-based diet; absorption is the tight spot. Plenty of vitamin C with iron-rich meals, and keeping coffee and tea away from them, improves it considerably. Whether your iron status is actually sufficient shows in a blood test, not in a chart.
When should iron be checked medically?
Persistent tiredness, pallor, hair loss or breathlessness on exertion is a question for your doctor, not for a nutrient chart. Iron supplements without a measured deficiency are not harmless.
References
The figures in the chart come from the nutrient databases named below. The statements in the running text on this page rest on the following work:
- Hurrell R, Egli I: Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values. Am J Clin Nutr 2010. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2010.28674F
- Hallberg L, Brune M, Rossander L: Iron absorption in man: ascorbic acid and dose-dependent inhibition by phytate. Am J Clin Nutr 1989. doi:10.1093/ajcn/49.1.140
- Morck TA, Lynch SR, Cook JD: Inhibition of food iron absorption by coffee. Am J Clin Nutr 1983. doi:10.1093/ajcn/37.3.416
Where these numbers come from
All values come from the Up-Food ingredient database: 370 foods, with values from USDA FoodData Central or the German Federal Food Code (BLS). Every row names its source. Daily reference intakes are the D-A-CH reference values of the German Nutrition Society. Data as of 2026-09-19.
What this chart is not
A nutrient chart is a set of measurements, not dietary advice and not medical information. Whether someone is actually short of a nutrient shows in a blood test, not in a list. For symptoms, or before taking supplements, a doctor is the right address.