Foods
Iron in food, by the portion you actually eat.
A food table lists iron per 100 g. You eat a handful of seeds, a tin of fish or a bowl of lentils. Here is each food by the portion, with the kind of iron it carries and what lets it in.
94 foods
The most iron per portion
Liver, shellfish, blood sausage, beans and lentils lead. Seeds and dark chocolate look rich per 100 g but come in small portions.
- Blood sausage2 thick slices17.5mg
- Pork liver1 small slice15.2mg
- Chicken liver4 livers12.9mg
- Mussels1 bowl, shelled10.1mg
- Tofuhalf a block6.8mg
- White beans1 cup cooked6.7mg
- Lentils1 cup cooked6.6mg
- Beef liver1 slice6.5mg
- Red kidney beans1 cup cooked5.2mg
- Chicken liver pâté2 tbsp4.6mg
- Chickpeas1 cup cooked4.6mg
- Beef steak1 steak3.9mg
Every food, by shelf
- Heme iron
- Non-heme iron
- Next to no iron
Meat
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood sausage2 thick slices | 2 thick slices | 17.5 mg | 17.5 mg |
| Beef steak1 steak | 1 steak | 3.9 mg | 2.6 mg |
| Beef mince125 g, cooked | 125 g, cooked | 3.5 mg | 2.8 mg |
| Lamb150 g | 150 g | 2.9 mg | 1.9 mg |
| Veal150 g | 150 g | 1.7 mg | 1.1 mg |
| Turkey150 g | 150 g | 1.7 mg | 1.1 mg |
| Pork1 chop | 1 chop | 1.4 mg | 0.9 mg |
| Chicken breast1 breast | 1 breast | 0.8 mg | 0.5 mg |
Organ meat
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork liver1 small slice | 1 small slice | 15.2 mg | 17.9 mg |
| Chicken liver4 livers | 4 livers | 12.9 mg | 12.9 mg |
| Beef liver1 slice | 1 slice | 6.5 mg | 6.5 mg |
| Chicken liver pâté2 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 4.6 mg | 9.2 mg |
Fish
Shellfish
Eggs
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs2 eggs | 2 eggs | 1.8 mg | 1.8 mg |
Beans, lentils and tofu
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tofuhalf a block | half a block | 6.8 mg | 5.4 mg |
| White beans1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 6.7 mg | 3.7 mg |
| Lentils1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 6.6 mg | 3.3 mg |
| Red kidney beans1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 5.2 mg | 2.9 mg |
| Chickpeas1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 4.6 mg | 2.9 mg |
| Split peas1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 2.6 mg | 1.3 mg |
| Hummus3 tbsp | 3 tbsp | 1.4 mg | 2.4 mg |
Seeds
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin seedsa small handful | a small handful | 2.6 mg | 8.8 mg |
| Sesame seeds1 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 1.5 mg | 14.6 mg |
| Tahini1 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 1.3 mg | 8.9 mg |
| Chia seeds1 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 1.2 mg | 7.7 mg |
| Flaxseed1 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 0.6 mg | 5.7 mg |
Nuts
Grains and bread
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 2.8 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Oat porridge1 bowl | 1 bowl | 2.3 mg | 0.9 mg |
| Dark rye bread2 slices | 2 slices | 1.8 mg | 3 mg |
| Granolahalf a cup | half a cup | 1.5 mg | 3 mg |
| Wholegrain bread2 slices | 2 slices | 1.5 mg | 2.5 mg |
| Buckwheat1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 1.4 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Pasta1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 0.7 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Sourdough bread2 slices | 2 slices | 0.6 mg | 1 mg |
| White rice1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 0.3 mg | 0.2 mg |
Vegetables
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun-dried tomatoes4 pieces | 4 pieces | 1.8 mg | 9.1 mg |
| Sauerkrauthalf a cup | half a cup | 1.5 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Sweet potato1 medium, baked | 1 medium, baked | 1.1 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Tomato paste2 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 0.9 mg | 3 mg |
| Pumpkin1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 0.9 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Beetroot1 beet | 1 beet | 0.8 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Broccoli1 cup cooked | 1 cup cooked | 0.6 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Potatoes2 small | 2 small | 0.6 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Red bell pepper1 pepper | 1 pepper | 0.5 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Aubergine1 small, roasted | 1 small, roasted | 0.5 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Tomato1 tomato | 1 tomato | 0.4 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Carrot1 carrot | 1 carrot | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Mushroomsa handful, cooked | a handful, cooked | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg |
Leafy greens
Herbs
Fruit
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackcurrantshalf a cup | half a cup | 1.2 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Strawberries1 cup | 1 cup | 0.6 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Avocadohalf an avocado | half an avocado | 0.5 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Kiwi1 kiwi | 1 kiwi | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Blueberrieshalf a cup | half a cup | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Pomegranate2 tbsp seeds | 2 tbsp seeds | 0.1 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Orange1 orange | 1 orange | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Grapefruithalf a grapefruit | half a grapefruit | 0.1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Lemon juice1 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 0 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Sea buckthorn2 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 0 mg | 0.1 mg |
Dairy
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fetaa small chunk | a small chunk | 0.4 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Natural yogurt1 small pot | 1 small pot | 0.2 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Cottage cheese150 g | 150 g | 0.2 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Hard cheese2 slices | 2 slices | 0.1 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Sour cream2 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 0 mg | 0.1 mg |
Drinks
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa1 mug | 1 mug | 1 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Red wine1 glass | 1 glass | 0.8 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Almond milk1 glass | 1 glass | 0.6 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Matcha1 cup | 1 cup | 0.4 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Orange juice1 glass | 1 glass | 0.4 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Chamomile tea1 mug | 1 mug | 0.3 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Coffee1 cup | 1 cup | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Black tea1 mug | 1 mug | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Green tea1 mug | 1 mug | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Milk1 glass | 1 glass | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Kefir1 glass | 1 glass | 0 mg | 0 mg |
Fats
Other
| Food | Iron per portion | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark chocolate2 squares | 2 squares | 2.4 mg | 11.9 mg |
| Coconut milk4 tbsp | 4 tbsp | 1 mg | 1.6 mg |
Iron is from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) and the Swedish Food Agency's food database, for each food as it is usually eaten, rounded to one decimal. The share is of 18 mg a day, the amount advised for women aged 19 to 50.

The Iron Guide
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Everything Ferritin is built on, in one illustrated PDF: how iron moves, which numbers matter, what to eat and when, how supplements are used well, and what to check when your iron stores will not move.
- 73 illustrated pages in 9 parts
- A 7-day ferritin menu with 21 recipes
- Printable lab tracker, period log and appointment sheet
PDF · 73 pages · in English · yours to keep

