Best Foods High in Iron to Prevent Anemia
Complete guide to iron-rich foods including heme and non-heme sources. Learn which foods boost iron absorption and how much iron you need daily.
Why Iron Is Essential
Iron is a critical mineral that your body needs to produce hemoglobin — the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body. Without enough iron, your body cannot make enough healthy red blood cells, leading to iron deficiency anemia.
Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, and difficulty concentrating. It is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide, affecting an estimated 1.6 billion people.
Two Types of Dietary Iron
Heme Iron
Found only in animal foods, heme iron is absorbed much more efficiently by your body — roughly 15-35% of heme iron is absorbed. This makes animal sources the most bioavailable way to increase iron intake.
Top heme iron sources:
- Liver (beef) — 6.5mg per 100g
- Oysters — 5.1mg per 100g
- Beef — 2.7mg per 100g
- Sardines — 2.9mg per 100g
- Turkey (dark meat) — 2.3mg per 100g
- Chicken (dark meat) — 1.3mg per 100g
Non-Heme Iron
Found in plant foods, non-heme iron is absorbed at a lower rate of about 2-20%. However, certain strategies can significantly boost absorption.
Top non-heme iron sources:
- Spinach — 2.7mg per 100g
- Lentils (cooked) — 3.3mg per 100g
- Tofu — 5.4mg per 100g
- Chickpeas (cooked) — 2.9mg per 100g
- Fortified cereals — 8-18mg per serving
- Pumpkin seeds — 8.8mg per 100g
- Quinoa (cooked) — 1.5mg per 100g
- Dark chocolate (70%+) — 11.9mg per 100g
Boosting Iron Absorption
Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C dramatically increases non-heme iron absorption — by as much as 300%. Squeeze lemon juice over your spinach salad, eat bell peppers with your lentil soup, or drink orange juice alongside your fortified cereal.
Cooking in cast iron pans can also add small amounts of iron to your food, particularly when cooking acidic foods like tomato sauce.
What Blocks Iron Absorption
Certain substances can inhibit iron absorption. Calcium competes with iron for absorption, so avoid taking calcium supplements with iron-rich meals. Tannins in tea and coffee can also reduce absorption, so wait at least an hour after eating before drinking these beverages. Phytates found in whole grains and legumes can bind to iron, though cooking and soaking helps reduce their effect.
How Much Iron Do You Need?
The recommended daily allowance varies by age and sex. Adult men need 8mg per day, while pre-menopausal women need 18mg due to iron losses during menstruation. Pregnant women need 27mg daily. Vegetarians and vegans may need up to 1.8 times the standard recommendation because non-heme iron is less bioavailable.
Check out our iron-rich foods page for a complete ranked list of foods by iron content, and use the food search to check the iron content of any specific food.
All nutritional values sourced from the USDA FoodData Central database.
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