Iron Rich Food List

Eating a balanced diet that includes food from the iron rich food list can help prevent iron deficiency.

Iron Deficiency Anemia is a condition where a person has inadequate amounts of iron to meet body demands. It is a decrease in the amount of red cells in the blood caused by having too little iron.

Recommended daily intake of iron

Children from birth to age 6 months - 10 mg daily

Children from ages 6 months to 4 years - 15 mg daily

Females ages 11 to 50 - 18 mg

Females over age 50 - 10 mg

Pregnant women - 30 to 60 mg

Males ages 10 to 18 - 18 mg

Males over age 19 - 10 mg

You can improve the way your body absorbs iron by eating foods from the iron rich food list. Raw foods provide iron that is absorbed most efficiently. Foods that are rich in vitamin C such as citrus and tomato are known to increase iron absorption.

Iron Rich Food List Suggestions

FoodMiligrams of iron per 100 g foodfood portion containing 1 mg of iron
chicken/beef liver8.810 grams
cooked beef5.515 grams
cooked turkey meat4.820 grams
sardines4.025 grams
tuna fish in oil1.21/2 can
cooked chicken0.81 drumstick/leg or 1/8 of the chicken
REMEMBER: IRON FROM RAW FOOD IS ABSORBED BETTER!
FoodMiligrams of iron per 100 g foodfood portion containing 1 mg of iron
pure tehina/tehini 9.0 2 teaspoons
sesame halva 6.0 15 grams
tehina sald or prepared tehini 4.92 tablespoons
oat flakes 4.52 tablespoons (before cooking)
almonds 4.415 pieces
dried figs 4.02 pieces
cooked spinach 3.51/ cup
humous 2.63 tablespoons
cooked garbanzo beans 2.41/4 cup
cooked dry beans2.31/4 cup
cooked lentils2.21/3 cup
dried dates1.74 dates
brown bread1.72 slices
cooked green peas1.41/2 cup
cooked potato1.41/2 potato

Other Foods With High Levels of Iron

Vegetables and fruit

Servings and iron content

Collard greens, kale, mustard, beet, or turnip greens1/2 cup contains 2 mg
Cooked peas1 cup contains 3 mg
Spinach1 cup contains 4 mg
Dried apricots1 cup contains 7.2 mg
Dried peaches1 cup contains 9.6 mg
Prunes1 cup contains 3.8 mg
Raisins1 cup contains 5.1 mg

Beans

Servings and iron content

Kidney, lima, navy, black, pinto, soy beans, and lentils 1 cup contains 5.0 mg

Iron Fortified Whole Grains

Servings and iron content

Cereals, breads, enriched rice, and pasta1 cup contains 1-16 mgs

Other

Servings and iron content

Egg1 egg contains 0.7 mg

Blackstrap molasses1 tablespoon contains 5.0 mg



Iron rich food list and breastfeeding diet