Nutrition Series
HealthLinkBC File #68d, January 2013
Iron in Foods
EnglishWhat foods have iron?
There are 2 types of iron found in foods: heme and non-heme. Your body absorbs heme iron more easily than non-heme iron. However, foods containing non-heme iron are also very important sources of iron in your diet. See HealthLinkBC File #68c Iron and Your Health for more information on how much iron you need and how to get the most iron from foods.
Foods with Heme Iron
| Food** | Serving | Iron (mg) |
| *Liver, pork | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 13.4 |
| *Liver, chicken | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 9.2 |
| Oysters | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 6.2 |
| Mussels | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 5.0 |
| *Liver, beef | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 4.8 |
| Liver pate, canned | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 4.1 |
| Beef | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 2.4 |
| Shrimp | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 2.0 |
| Sardines | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 2.0 |
| Clams | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 2.0 |
| Lamb | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 1.5 |
| Tuna/herring/trout/mackerel | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 1.2 |
| Chicken | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 0.9 |
| Pork | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 0.8 |
| Salmon (canned/fresh) | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 0.5 |
| Turkey | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 0.5 |
| Flatfish (flounder/sole/plaice) | 75 g (2 ½ oz) | 0.3 |
| ** All iron values or amounts are for cooked meat, fish, shellfish, and poultry. |
| * Pregnant women should not eat liver. It has a very large amount of vitamin A, which can be harmful to the baby. |
| * Liver is high in cholesterol, so people with high blood cholesterol levels should not eat it often. |
Foods with Non-Heme Iron
| Food | Serving | Iron (mg) |
| Infant cereal, dry | 28 g (5 Tbsp) | 2.5-7* |
| Pumpkin seeds, kernels, roasted | 60 mL (¼ cup) | 4.7 |
| Tofu, medium firm or firm | 150 g (¾ cup) | 2.4-8.0* |
| Soybeans, dried, boiled | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 6.5 |
| Quaker® instant enriched oatmeal | 1 package | 2.8-5.6* |
| Lentils, cooked | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 4.9 |
| Hummus | 175 ml (¾ cup) | 2.8-4.5 |
| Enriched cold cereal | 30 g | 4.9* |
| Dark red kidney beans, boiled | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 3.9 |
| Blackstrap molasses | 15 mL (1 Tbsp) | 3.6 |
| Spinach, cooked | 125 ml (½ cup) | 3.4 |
| Refried beans | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 3.1 |
| Cream of wheat, instant, prepared | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 3.1* |
| Soy beverage | 250 mL (1 cup) | 1.0 |
| Wheat germ, ready to eat, toasted, plain | 30 g (2 Tbsp) | 2.8 |
| Chickpeas, canned | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 2.4 |
| Soybeans, green/edamame (cooked and shelled) | 125 mL (½ cup) | 2.4 |
| Tahini, sesame seed butter | 30 g (2 Tbsp) | 2.3 |
| Lima beans, boiled | 125 mL (½ cup) | 2.2 |
| Swiss chard, cooked | 125 mL (½ cup) | 2.1 |
| Shredded wheat | 30 g | 1.8* |
| Quinoa, cooked | 125 mL (½ cup) | 1.0 |
| Seaweed, agar, dried | 8 g (½ cup) | 1.7 |
| Bagel | 45g (½) | 2.7 |
| Prune juice, canned | 125 mL (½ cup) | 1.6 |
| Cream of wheat, regular, prepared | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 1.6 |
| Beet greens, cooked | 125 ml (½ cup) | 1.5 |
| Green peas, boiled | 125 mL (½ cup) | 1.3 |
| Tomato sauce, canned | 125 ml (½ cup) | 1.3 |
| Sunflower seeds, kernels, roasted | 60 mL (¼ cup) | 1.2 |
| Whole wheat bread | 35 g (1 slice) | 0.9 |
| Eggs | 2 | 1.4 |
| Potato, baked, with skin | 1 medium | 1.1 |
| Oats, quick or large flakes, prepared | 175 mL (¾ cup) | 1.3 |
| Pearled barley, cooked | 125 mL (½ cup) | 1.1 |
| Sauerkraut | 125 mL (½ cup) | 1.1 |
| Pasta, enriched, cooked | 125 mL (½ cup) | 0.9 |
| Molasses, fancy | 15 mL (1 Tbsp) | 1.0 |
| * Note: Iron amounts in some enriched foods vary; check the label for accurate information. If the iron amount is given as a percentage of the daily value (DV), the standard used is 14 mg (or 7 mg for infant cereals). For example, if a serving of cereal has 25% of the daily value, it has 3.5 mg of iron (0.25 x 14 mg). |
For more nutrition information, call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered dietitian.
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For more HealthLinkBC File topics, visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles/ or your local public health unit. Click on www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1 for non-emergency health information and services in B.C. For deaf and hearing-impaired assistance, call 7-1-1 in B.C. Translation services are available in more than 130 languages on request. |
