The short answer
A good source, if not a high one. One portion of sardines (1 small tin, drained) gives about 2.6 mg of iron, 14% of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need. Much of it is heme iron, the kind your body takes in most easily. The calcium in it holds some of that back.
- mg2.6In one portion: 1 small tin, drained
- %14Of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need
- mg2.9Per 100 g, as eaten
Worth knowingThe soft bones carry calcium, so treat whole sardines like dairy.
How it compares
Iron per portion, next to other foods on the fish shelf.
- Sardines in olive oil2.6 mg
- Mackerel1.6 mg
- Tuna1.6 mg
- Herring1.2 mg
- Cod0.8 mg
- Salmon0.5 mg
What helps its iron in
Heme iron
Iron from meat and fish gets in well, and more when your stores are low. Calcium still holds some of it back.
Hallberg L, Hultén L, Gramatkovski E (1997), Am J Clin Nutr. Over five days of a whole diet, blood donors with ferritin around 37 µg/L absorbed 35% of the heme iron, men with fuller stores 23%.It helps plant iron in
A little meat or fish on the plate lets in more iron from the beans, grains and greens next to it.
Baech SB, et al. (2003), Am J Clin Nutr. 50 g of pork added to a meal of rice, peas and bread raised its plant-iron absorption by 44%, and 75 g by 57%. 25 g made no clear difference.
What holds it back
Calcium
Calcium holds iron back, from plants and from meat.
Hallberg L, et al. (1991), Am J Clin Nutr. 165 mg of calcium from milk or cheese cut iron absorption from a meal by 50–60%, and it lowered heme iron too.
Get more from it
- Serve it with beans, lentils or greens: it helps their iron in.
- The program's ruleKeep it 3–4 hours from an iron meal.
Questions
How much iron is in sardines?
About 2.9 mg per 100 g, so 1 small tin, drained (90 g) gives about 2.6 mg. The number is from USDA FoodData Central: Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone.
Is the iron in sardines easy to absorb?
Yes, as food iron goes. Heme iron gets in by its own route, and more of it when your stores are low. Calcium is the one thing on the plate that still holds some of it back.
What should I eat with sardines for iron?
Beans, lentils or greens. A little meat or fish lets in more iron from the plant foods beside it. Add a vitamin C helper for the plant part, and drink water rather than tea or coffee.
Do sardines block iron absorption?
Its calcium holds iron back, from plants and from meat. The program keeps calcium foods 3 to 4 hours from an iron meal.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone
- Hallberg L, Hultén L, Gramatkovski E. Iron absorption from the whole diet in men: how effective is the regulation of iron absorption?. Am J Clin Nutr, 1997
- Hurrell R, Egli I. Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values. Am J Clin Nutr, 2010
- Baech SB, et al.. Nonheme-iron absorption from a phytate-rich meal is increased by the addition of small amounts of pork meat. Am J Clin Nutr, 2003
- Cook JD, Monsen ER. Food iron absorption in human subjects. III. Comparison of the effect of animal proteins on nonheme iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr, 1976
- Hallberg L, et al.. Calcium: effect of different amounts on nonheme- and heme-iron absorption in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 1991
- Gleerup A, et al.. Iron absorption from the whole diet: comparison of the effect of two different distributions of daily calcium intake. Am J Clin Nutr, 1995
- Gleerup A, Rossander-Hultén L, Hallberg L. Duration of the inhibitory effect of calcium on non-haem iron absorption in man. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1993
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: fact sheet for health professionals
- US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.54: nutrient content claims for "good source" and "high"
Iron is from food tables, for the food as eaten, and real foods vary with the cut, the brand and the recipe. Your body takes in a share of it, and a larger share when your stores are low.
Educational, not medical advice. ferritin.ai does not diagnose or treat any condition. Talk to your doctor about your own results.