Iron Rich Food List

This list of iron-rich foods is for everyone – it includes choices for omnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians as well as all the best vegan iron sources. In all, you’ll find over 200 iron-rich foods listed.

Iron is a vital nutrient for everyone: The same mineral that’s used in metallurgy is crucial for good health, so much so that we can’t live without it. While it is possible to take iron supplements, it’s also possible to get your daily dose from the foods you eat.

Iron’s Role in a Healthy Diet

Why do we need iron, and what can happen to us if we don’t get the right amount? According to scientists at the National Institutes of Health, iron’s main role is to ensure that all cells in the body get the oxygen they need. The mineral is found in hemoglobin, which is a type of protein and a major component of red blood cells. As you might remember from basic biology courses, these cells gather oxygen from your lungs as you breathe, after which they supply the rest of your cells with oxygen molecules.

Iron

When you don’t consume enough iron, you begin to suffer the effects of iron deficiency anemia, which begins with feelings of unexplainable fatigue. Other symptoms include:

Decreased brain function that might show up as “brain fog” or trouble focusing
Low attention span
Learning problems in school-aged children
Slow growth in children and infants
Frequent headaches and/or migraines
Feelings of dizziness
Shortness of breath
Unusually pale complexion
Brittle nails
Unexplained hair loss
Cold hands and feet
Pregnancy complications
Pale gums
Pale lips
Pale or blueish whites of eyes
Restless legs syndrome
Twitching muscles
Weakness
Irritability
Craving unusual foods
Craving dirt, starch, or ice
Low appetite, particularly in children and infants
Mood swings
Feelings of anxiety
A sudden increase in menstrual flow in women
Tongue changes including pale color, pain or tenderness, inflammation, and/or a smooth texture

One of the most troubling symptoms of iron deficiency is reduced immune function. Equally worrisome is an irregular or accelerated heart rate, which happens due to long-term anemia. If you have any heart problems, low iron can make them worse. Be sure to see your doctor immediately if you suffer serious iron deficiency symptoms, as anemia can increase your risk of heart failure. In serious cases of iron deficiency, the body can absorb too much lead, vital organs can stop functioning correctly, and death can occur.

Certain people are at a higher risk for anemia than others. These include infants and children, women of childbearing age, frequent blood donors, people age 65 and older, and individuals who consume low-iron diets. People who suffer from kidney disease or kidney failure are at an elevated risk too, particularly if they are dialysis patients. Those who take blood thinners including heparin, aspirin, Coumadin®, and Plavix ® are also at a greater risk for developing anemia. In most cases, symptoms are mild and easy to correct with changes to diet.

Use this list of iron-rich foods as a tool for making better choices each time you eat. You can increase your iron intake even more by cooking your food in a cast-iron skillet.

Meat

Antelope
Beef
Beefalo
Buffalo
Caribou
Chicken, preferably dark meat
Duck
Elk
Emu
Goat
Goose
Hare
Heart
Kidney
Lamb
Liver
Liverwurst
Moose
Mountain goat
Mountain sheep
Mutton
Ostrich
Pheasant
Pork
Quail
Rabbit
Turkey, preferably dark meat
Venison
Water buffalo

Seafood

Abalone
Bass
Carp
Catfish
Clams
Cod
Crab
Crayfish
Croaker
Cuttlefish
Drum
Escargot (snail)
Flounder
Gefiltefish
Grouper
Haddock
Halibut
Herring
Lobster
Mackerel
Mullet
Mussels
Octopus
Oysters
Perch
Pike
Sablefish
Salmon
Sardines
Scallops
Shad
Shrimp
Smelt
Squid
Sturgeon
Suckerfish
Sunfish
Swordfish
Trout
Tuna
Walleye
Whelk

Best Vegan Iron Sources

If you prefer a plant-based diet, you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of excellent iron sources available. Note that many vegetarians and vegans opt to take iron supplements as a method for ensuring that the body is always well-supplied, as non-heme iron (iron that comes from sources other than meat) is harder to absorb. Eating iron-rich foods with foods that also contain vitamin C can help increase absorption, so keep both nutrients in mind as you plan your meals.

Acorn squash
Adzuki beans
Almonds
Almond butter
Amaranth greens
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Barley
Bean dip
Bean sprouts
Beet greens
Black adzuki beans
Black beans
Blackberries
Black-eyed peas
Blueberries
Bolita beans
Bok choy
Borage
Bran cereals
Brazil nuts
Broccoli
Broccoli rabe
Broccolini
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Bulgur
Butter lettuce
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cannellini beans
Calypso beans
Cashews
Cashew butter
Cauliflower
Chia seeds
Chickpeas
Cocoa powder
Coconut
Collard greens
Cornmeal
Cranberry beans
Cream of Wheat ®
Dandelion greens
Dark chocolate, dairy-free types
Dates
Dried apples
Dried apricots
Dried goji berries
Dried peaches
Edamame
Elderberries
Endive
Enriched rice
Farina
Fava beans
Figs
Flaxseeds, ground
Fortified grain products such as bread, tortillas, and cereal
Garbanzo beans
Garden cress
Grape leaves
Great northern beans
Green beans
Green leaf lettuce
Hazelnuts
Hazelnut butter
Horned melon
Hummus
Irish moss seaweed
Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)
Kale
Kelp
Kidney beans
Leeks
Lemongrass
Lentils
Lentil sprouts
Lima beans
Loganberries
Lupini beans
Macadamia nuts
Macadamia nut butter
Maple syrup
Millet
Molasses
Morel mushrooms
Mulberries
Mung beans
Mustard greens
Napa cabbage
Navy beans
Nori
Oat flour
Oatmeal
Oat-based cereals
Okra
Olives
Oyster mushrooms
Palm hearts
Parsley
Passionfruit, purple
Peanuts
Peanut butter
Peas
Pecans
Pigeon peas
Pine nuts
Pink beans
Pinto beans
Pistachios
Popcorn
Potatoes with skin
Prunes
Prune juice
Pumpernickel breads
Pumpkin seeds
Purslane
Quinoa
Raisins
Rapini
Raspberries
Rattlesnake beans
Red beans
Red cabbage
Red leaf lettuce
Roman beans
Romanesco
Romaine lettuce
Rye bread
Savoy cabbage
Sauerkraut
Scotch kale
Seitan
Sesame seeds (preferably unhulled)
Shiitake mushrooms
Snow peas
Soybeans
Soy yogurt
Spinach
Spirulina
Split peas
Squash seeds
Stinging nettle
Strawberries
Succotash
Sunflower seeds
Sunbutter (Sunflower seed butter)
Sun dried tomatoes
Swedish brown beans
Sweet potatoes
Tahini
Tofu
Tomato paste
Tomato juice
Tomato sauce
Tempeh
Treacle
Turnip greens
Turtle beans
Veggie burgers
Veggie dogs
Vital wheat gluten
Wakame seaweed
Walnuts
Watercress
Watermelon
Wheat germ
White beans
White button mushrooms
Whole wheat bread
Yams
Yellow beans
Yellow peas

You might notice that spinach and swiss chard are missing from the iron-rich foods list. Although these plants are high in iron and great for you, they also contain a substance called oxalate, which binds iron and makes it harder for the body to absorb.

Factors that Affect Iron Absorption

It’s important to eat lots of iron-rich foods from this list, and it’s also important to understand that certain factors can affect the body’s ability to absorb the iron that you consume. Some things to keep in mind:

Foods and beverages that are high in tannins can inhibit your ability to absorb iron from food. Avoid coffee, including decaf, as well as tea and wine for an hour before a meal containing iron and two hours after eating high-iron foods. Note that coffee, tea and wine can serve as important sources of antioxidants, and enjoy them between meals, or at meals where the emphasis isn’t on iron.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, calcium can block iron absorption by as much as 50 percent. You can get around this by eating more iron-rich foods in combination with calcium-rich foods, and you can eat high-calcium foods at different times than you do iron-rich foods. Both nutrients are important; you shouldn’t skimp on either. Note that high-calcium antacids will block iron absorption too; try to take them separately if possible.
Eggs do contain a little iron, but a substance called phosvitin binds the iron in the eggs, along with any other dietary iron consumed alongside them, and makes it unavailable for absorption. If you eat eggs, it’s a good idea to enjoy them at times when iron intake isn’t your main goal.
Eating foods with vitamin C alongside non-heme iron (iron from non-meat sources) can increase absorption by as much as five times, so put an emphasis on combining iron-rich foods with those that also contain high levels of vitamin C, or enjoy more foods that contain both nutrients, including tomato sauce, dark leafy greens, and broccoli.
Your body can only absorb a certain amount of iron at once, so spread your intake out over the day rather than consuming all of your iron rich foods at one sitting. If you take an iron supplement, you might want to use a pill splitter to break it in halves or quarters, and consume them with vitamin-C rich foods over the course of the day.

Be sure to see your doctor immediately if you suspect that you have an iron deficiency, particularly if you are suffering from serious symptoms. Iron deficiency might be a sign of an underlying condition, and there are certain substances including medication, which can prevent the body from absorbing iron correctly. In certain cases, people with iron deficiency require monitoring and medically supervised iron supplementation to ensure good health.

Sources:

Iron Rich Food List

Iron’s Role in a Healthy Diet