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

Every food, by shelf

  • Heme iron
  • Non-heme iron
  • Next to no iron

Meat

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Blood sausage2 thick slices17.5 mg17.5 mg
Beef steak1 steak3.9 mg2.6 mg
Beef mince125 g, cooked3.5 mg2.8 mg
Lamb150 g2.9 mg1.9 mg
Veal150 g1.7 mg1.1 mg
Turkey150 g1.7 mg1.1 mg
Pork1 chop1.4 mg0.9 mg
Chicken breast1 breast0.8 mg0.5 mg

Organ meat

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Pork liver1 small slice15.2 mg17.9 mg
Chicken liver4 livers12.9 mg12.9 mg
Beef liver1 slice6.5 mg6.5 mg
Chicken liver pâté2 tbsp4.6 mg9.2 mg

Fish

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Sardines in olive oil1 small tin, drained2.6 mg2.9 mg
Mackerel1 fillet1.6 mg1.6 mg
Tuna1 tin, drained1.6 mg1.3 mg
Herring2 small fillets1.2 mg1.2 mg
Cod1 fillet0.8 mg0.5 mg
Salmon1 fillet0.5 mg0.3 mg

Shellfish

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Mussels1 bowl, shelled10.1 mg6.7 mg
Prawns120 g0.6 mg0.5 mg

Eggs

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Eggs2 eggs1.8 mg1.8 mg

Beans, lentils and tofu

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Tofuhalf a block6.8 mg5.4 mg
White beans1 cup cooked6.7 mg3.7 mg
Lentils1 cup cooked6.6 mg3.3 mg
Red kidney beans1 cup cooked5.2 mg2.9 mg
Chickpeas1 cup cooked4.6 mg2.9 mg
Split peas1 cup cooked2.6 mg1.3 mg
Hummus3 tbsp1.4 mg2.4 mg

Seeds

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Pumpkin seedsa small handful2.6 mg8.8 mg
Sesame seeds1 tbsp1.5 mg14.6 mg
Tahini1 tbsp1.3 mg8.9 mg
Chia seeds1 tbsp1.2 mg7.7 mg
Flaxseed1 tbsp0.6 mg5.7 mg

Nuts

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Cashewsa small handful2 mg6.7 mg
Hazelnutsa small handful1.4 mg4.7 mg
Almondsa small handful1.1 mg3.7 mg

Grains and bread

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Quinoa1 cup cooked2.8 mg1.5 mg
Oat porridge1 bowl2.3 mg0.9 mg
Dark rye bread2 slices1.8 mg3 mg
Granolahalf a cup1.5 mg3 mg
Wholegrain bread2 slices1.5 mg2.5 mg
Buckwheat1 cup cooked1.4 mg0.8 mg
Pasta1 cup cooked0.7 mg0.5 mg
Sourdough bread2 slices0.6 mg1 mg
White rice1 cup cooked0.3 mg0.2 mg

Vegetables

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Sun-dried tomatoes4 pieces1.8 mg9.1 mg
Sauerkrauthalf a cup1.5 mg1.5 mg
Sweet potato1 medium, baked1.1 mg0.7 mg
Tomato paste2 tbsp0.9 mg3 mg
Pumpkin1 cup cooked0.9 mg0.6 mg
Beetroot1 beet0.8 mg0.8 mg
Broccoli1 cup cooked0.6 mg0.7 mg
Potatoes2 small0.6 mg0.4 mg
Red bell pepper1 pepper0.5 mg0.4 mg
Aubergine1 small, roasted0.5 mg0.3 mg
Tomato1 tomato0.4 mg0.3 mg
Carrot1 carrot0.2 mg0.3 mg
Mushroomsa handful, cooked0.2 mg0.3 mg

Leafy greens

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Spinach2 handfuls, raw1.6 mg2.7 mg
Kale2 handfuls, raw0.9 mg1.5 mg
Rocketa handful0.3 mg1.5 mg

Herbs

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Parsleya small handful, chopped0.6 mg6.2 mg
Dill1 tbsp, chopped0.3 mg6.6 mg
Basila few leaves0.2 mg3.2 mg

Fruit

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Blackcurrantshalf a cup1.2 mg1.5 mg
Strawberries1 cup0.6 mg0.4 mg
Avocadohalf an avocado0.5 mg0.6 mg
Kiwi1 kiwi0.2 mg0.3 mg
Blueberrieshalf a cup0.2 mg0.3 mg
Pomegranate2 tbsp seeds0.1 mg0.3 mg
Orange1 orange0.1 mg0.1 mg
Grapefruithalf a grapefruit0.1 mg0.1 mg
Lemon juice1 tbsp0 mg0.1 mg
Sea buckthorn2 tbsp0 mg0.1 mg

Dairy

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Fetaa small chunk0.4 mg0.7 mg
Natural yogurt1 small pot0.2 mg0.1 mg
Cottage cheese150 g0.2 mg0.1 mg
Hard cheese2 slices0.1 mg0.2 mg
Sour cream2 tbsp0 mg0.1 mg

Drinks

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Cocoa1 mug1 mg0.4 mg
Red wine1 glass0.8 mg0.5 mg
Almond milk1 glass0.6 mg0.3 mg
Matcha1 cup0.4 mg0.2 mg
Orange juice1 glass0.4 mg0.2 mg
Chamomile tea1 mug0.3 mg0.1 mg
Coffee1 cup0 mg0 mg
Black tea1 mug0 mg0 mg
Green tea1 mug0 mg0 mg
Milk1 glass0 mg0 mg
Kefir1 glass0 mg0 mg

Fats

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Olive oil2 tsp0.1 mg0.6 mg
Butter2 tsp0 mg0 mg

Other

FoodIron per portionPer 100 g
Dark chocolate2 squares2.4 mg11.9 mg
Coconut milk4 tbsp1 mg1.6 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 cover of The Iron Guide: Put the Fe back in female.

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.

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