Foods containing iron - an overview of the best sources of iron
Which foods contain iron? Discover the best foods with iron - sorted by group & alphabetically. Ideal for naturally covering your iron requirements with any type of diet.
Things worth knowing about "Foods containing iron"
Which foods contain iron?
Discover the best foods with iron - sorted by group & alphabetically. Ideal for meeting your iron requirements naturally with any type of diet.
Foods containing iron: natural sources for your daily needs
Foods rich in iron play a central role in a balanced diet - because iron is essential for the formation of haemoglobin, the transport of oxygen in the blood and many enzyme processes in the body. A lack of iron can lead to exhaustion, low performance or even anaemia. It is therefore worth regularly integrating iron-rich foods into your diet.
The body can absorb iron from animal foods (haem iron) much more efficiently than from plant sources (non-haem iron). Nevertheless, plant-based foods also provide an excellent source of iron - especially when combined with foods containing vitamin C to increase bioavailability.In the following overview you will find the most important iron-rich foods, divided into useful groups such as meat, fish, pulses, vegetables, cereals, nuts, fruit and others - sorted alphabetically within the categories. The values refer to the average iron content per 100 g of edible content.So you can supplement your diet in a targeted way - regardless of whether you eat an omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan diet.
Foods rich in iron by group
Meat & offal
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Blood sausage | 29.0 |
| Calf liver | 7.9 |
| Lammfleisch | 2,3 |
| Beef (lean) | 2.1 |
| Beef liver | 6.9 |
| Pork | 1.4 |
| Pork liver | 18.0 |
Fish & seafood
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Oysters | 5.1 |
| Shrimps | 1.7 |
| Herring (fresh) | 1.1 |
| Mackerel | 1.6 |
| Shellfish | 6.0 |
| Sardines (tinned) | 2.9 | Tuna (tinned, oil) | 1.3 |
Pulses & soya products
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Chickpeas (dry) | 6.1 |
| Kidney beans (dry) | 5.0 |
| Lentils (dry) | 8.0 |
| Mung beans | 6.7 |
| Soybeans | 9.7 |
| Tofu | 5.4 |
Vegetables & herbs
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Artichokes | 1.3 |
| Broccoli | 1.3 |
| Peas (cooked) | 2.1 |
| Lamb's lettuce | 2.0 |
| Kale (cooked) | 1.9 |
| Chard | 2.7 |
| Parsley (fresh) | 6.2 |
| Beetroot | 0,9 |
| Black salsify | 3.3 |
| Spinach (cooked) | 3.6 |
| Spinach (raw) | 4.1 |
Cereals & pseudocereals
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Amaranth | 9.0 |
| Bulgur | 2.4 |
| Buckwheat | 2.2 |
| Spelt | 3.7 |
| Oat flakes | 4.6 |
| Millet (cooked) | 2.7 |
| Quinoa | 4.6 |
| Wholemeal rye bread | 2.5 |
| Wholemeal rice (uncooked) | 2.2 |
| Wheat bran | 15.0 |
Nuts & seeds
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Cashews | 6.0 |
| Hazelnuts | 3.8 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 12.5 |
| Flaxseed | 8.2 |
| Almonds | 4.1 |
| Pine nuts | 5.6 |
| Pistachios | 7.3 |
| Sesame seeds (unpeeled) | 10.0 |
| Sunflower seeds | 6.3 |
| Walnuts | 2.9 |
Fruit (fresh & dried)
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Apples | 0.3 |
| Apricots (dried) | 4.4 |
| Bananas | 0.4 |
| Dates (dried) | 2.8 |
| Strawberries | 0.4 |
| Figs (dried) | 3.1 |
| Blueberries | 0.9 |
| Raspberries | 1,0 |
| Orange juice (fresh) | 0.2 |
| Peaches (dried) | 6.5 |
| Raisins | 1.9 |
Other
| Food | Iron (mg/100 g) |
|---|---|
| Chocolate (70% cocoa) | 8.0 |
| Tempeh | 2.7 |
| Milk chocolate | 2.3 |
Literature references
-
gesundheitsinformation.de: How can I meet my iron requirements?
-
German Nutrition Society (DGE): Reference values for nutrient intake
-
Federal Food Code (BLS), version 3.02
-
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Iron - The Nutrition Source
-
World Health Organisation (WHO): Iron Deficiency Anaemia - Assessment, Prevention and Control
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