The short answer
Yes. One portion of tofu (half a block) gives about 6.8 mg of iron, 38% of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need. On a US food label, a serving with 20% of the daily value counts as high. It is non-heme iron, so only a small share gets in unless a vitamin C helper shares the plate. The calcium in it holds some of that back.
- mg6.8In one portion: half a block
- %38Of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need
- mg5.4Per 100 g, as eaten
Worth knowingAbout 5.4 mg per 100 g on paper, but calcium-set tofu blocks its own iron.
How it compares
Iron per portion, next to other foods on the beans, lentils and tofu shelf.
What helps its iron in
Plant iron
Only a small share gets in on its own. A vitamin C helper on the same plate lifts it.
Cook JD, Monsen ER (1977), Am J Clin Nutr. 25 mg of vitamin C with a meal raised its iron absorption 1.65 times, and 1,000 mg almost 10 times. With meat in the meal, the rise was smaller.
What holds it back
Phytate
Phytate in the seed binds plant iron. Soaking, sprouting and long fermentation break it down, and a vitamin C helper works against it.
Petry N, et al. (2010), J Nutr. Only 2.5% of the iron in a bean porridge was absorbed. Taking out both its phytate and its polyphenols raised that 2.6 times; taking out one alone did little.Soy protein
Soy protein holds iron back as well, even with the phytate gone.
Hurrell RF, et al. (1992), Am J Clin Nutr. Taking the phytate out of soy protein raised its iron absorption 4 to 5 times, yet it stayed at half that of a meal with egg white.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
- Put a helper on the same plate: vitamin C from one of these.Lemon juiceRed bell pepperTomatoTomato pasteStrawberriesBlackcurrants
- The program's ruleKeep it 3–4 hours from an iron meal.
Questions
How much iron is in tofu?
About 5.4 mg per 100 g, so half a block (125 g) gives about 6.8 mg. The number is from USDA FoodData Central: Tofu, raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate.
Is the iron in tofu easy to absorb?
Less easily than iron from meat or fish. On its own only a small share gets in. A vitamin C helper on the same plate lifts it, and coffee, tea and dairy near the meal hold it back.
What should I eat with tofu for iron?
A vitamin C helper on the same plate: lemon juice, red pepper, tomato, parsley or berries. A little meat or fish helps too, if you eat it.
Does tofu 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: Tofu, raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate
- Cook JD, Monsen ER. Vitamin C, the common cold, and iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr, 1977
- Ballot D, et al.. The effects of fruit juices and fruits on the absorption of iron from a rice meal. Br J Nutr, 1987
- Rossander L, Hallberg L, Björn-Rasmussen E. Absorption of iron from breakfast meals. Am J Clin Nutr, 1979
- Petry N, et al.. Polyphenols and phytic acid contribute to the low iron bioavailability from common beans in young women. J Nutr, 2010
- Sandberg AS. Bioavailability of minerals in legumes. Br J Nutr, 2002
- Hurrell RF, et al.. Soy protein, phytate, and iron absorption in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 1992
- 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.