Iron-rich foods: what they contain and why iron matters
Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around your body [WHO]. This page lists foods by their iron content, using published composition data — and explains why how much iron a food contains is only half the story.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-03
How much iron is in common foods
Values are milligrams of iron per 100 g edible portion. Type marks whether the iron is heme (from animal foods, absorbed more readily) or non-heme (from plants).
| Food | Iron per 100 g | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clams (cooked) | 28 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Chicken liver (cooked) | 11.6 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Oysters (cooked) | 9.2 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Beef liver (cooked) | 6.5 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Sardines (canned) | 2.9 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Lean beef (cooked) | 2.7 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Lamb / mutton (cooked) | 1.9 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Egg (whole) | 1.8 mg | Heme | USDA |
| Sesame seeds | 14.6 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Dark chocolate (70–85%) | 11.9 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Pumpkin seeds | 8.8 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Amaranth grain (rajgira) | 7.6 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Cashew nuts | 6.7 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Pearl millet (bajra) | 6.4 mg | Non-heme | ICMR-NIN |
| Soybeans (cooked) | 5.1 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Finger millet (ragi) | 4.6 mg | Non-heme | ICMR-NIN |
| Peanuts | 4.6 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Drumstick (moringa) leaves | 4 mg | Non-heme | ICMR-NIN |
| Almonds | 3.7 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Lentils (masoor) (cooked) | 3.3 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Chickpeas (chana) (cooked) | 2.9 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Kidney beans (rajma) (cooked) | 2.9 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Spinach (raw) | 2.7 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Dried apricots | 2.7 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Tofu (firm) | 2.7 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Amaranth leaves (chaulai) | 2.3 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Raisins | 1.9 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Quinoa (cooked) | 1.5 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Kale (raw) | 1.5 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Dates | 0.9 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
| Broccoli (cooked) | 0.7 mg | Non-heme | USDA |
Vegetarian and vegan sources
The richest plant sources are seeds (sesame, pumpkin), millets (bajra, ragi), legumes (soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, rajma), nuts and dark leafy greens. All of these carry non-heme iron, which the body absorbs less efficiently than the heme iron in animal foods [ICMR-NIN]. That is why the amount in the table is only part of the picture — the next section covers what changes how much of it your body takes up.
What affects how much iron your body absorbs
How much iron a food contains is only half the story; how much crosses from the gut into the blood matters just as much. Heme iron (animal foods) is absorbed more readily than non-heme iron (plants) [WHO].
- Vitamin C eaten in the same meal markedly improves the absorption of non-heme iron from plants — for example a squeeze of lemon or amla with a lentil meal [ICMR-NIN].
- Tannins in tea and coffee, taken with or soon after a meal, reduce non-heme iron absorption [WHO].
- Phytates in whole grains and legumes bind iron and lower its absorption; soaking, sprouting and fermenting reduce phytate content [ICMR-NIN].
- Calcium competes with iron for absorption when both are eaten together [USDA].
Iron and your blood test
Iron status shows up in several tests — haemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum iron and transferrin saturation. If you have a lab report, ReadMyReport explains what each of these means for you.
Frequently asked questions
- Which foods have the most iron?
- By weight, clams, organ meats (chicken and beef liver) and oysters are the highest heme sources, and sesame seeds, dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds are among the highest plant sources [USDA].
- What are the best vegetarian sources of iron?
- Sesame and pumpkin seeds, soybeans and other legumes, millets such as bajra and ragi, nuts and dark leafy greens are the leading plant sources [ICMR-NIN, USDA]. Their iron is non-heme, so absorption depends on the rest of the meal.
- Does drinking tea affect iron absorption?
- Yes. Tannins in tea and coffee reduce how much non-heme iron the body absorbs when taken with a meal, so a gap between the meal and the drink helps [WHO].
- How much iron does an adult need per day?
- The ICMR-NIN recommended dietary allowance for iron is about 11 mg for an adult man and 15 mg for an adult woman of reproductive age, and higher in pregnancy [ICMR-NIN].
- Can you get too much iron from food?
- For most healthy people, getting too much iron from food alone is uncommon [WHO]. Iron from supplements is a different matter and is a question for a doctor.
- Which fruits contain iron?
- Fresh fruit is generally low in iron, but dried fruit is more concentrated — dried apricots and raisins carry a few milligrams per 100 g [USDA]. Vitamin-C-rich fruit also helps you absorb iron from other foods.
- Do millets like ragi and bajra contain iron?
- Yes. Pearl millet (bajra) and finger millet (ragi) are among the more iron-containing grains in Indian composition data [ICMR-NIN]; soaking and fermenting them lowers phytates and improves absorption.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central — USDA FoodData Central, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- ICMR-NIN — Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition. https://www.nin.res.in/
- WHO — World Health Organization — iron and nutritional anaemias. https://www.who.int/
- ICMR-NIN RDA — Nutrient Requirements for Indians, 2020 (RDA/EAR). https://www.nin.res.in/