Nutrition guide
Iron Rich Foods
Iron is a component of hemoglobin and supports oxygen transport. Reference intakes are about 8 mg/day for adult men and 18 mg/day for premenopausal women. Plant sources (lentils, spinach, seeds) contain non-heme iron, which is absorbed less efficiently than the heme iron in meat and fish — the per-100g ranking shows measured content only and does not adjust for absorption type.
Reference intake: ~8 mg/day (men), ~18 mg/day (premenopausal women).
What counts as “high”?
On labeling conventions, a food providing 20% of the 18 mg daily value (≈3.6 mg) per 100g qualifies as high in iron. Foods above 6 mg per 100g — mostly seeds, dry legumes, and spinach — deliver a third or more of a woman's daily need per 100g.
Top 10 by iron per 100g
See the full ranking of all 30 foods →
Common questions
Which foods are highest in iron?
In this database, seeds (pumpkin, chia, flax), dry legumes (lentils, chickpeas), and spinach lead the per-100g ranking. Liver would rank at the very top but is not yet in the database.
Is iron from plants absorbed as well as iron from meat?
No — non-heme plant iron is absorbed at a lower rate than heme iron, and absorption adjusts with the body's needs. Vitamin C eaten in the same meal improves non-heme absorption. The ranking shows content, not absorbed amount.
Can you get too much iron from food?
Iron overload from food alone is uncommon in healthy people because absorption is regulated. The ranking is informational, not a recommendation to maximize intake.
All values from USDA FoodData Central per 100g edible portion. Rankings reflect measured content, not typical serving sizes or absorption differences.