Nutrition Series - Number 68d
January 2011
Iron in Foods
What foods have iron?
There are two 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 HealthLink BC 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) 6.42
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) 2.2
Sardines 75 g (2 ½ oz) 2.0
Clams 75 g (2 ½ oz) 2.0
Lamb 75 g (2 ½ oz) 1.7
Turkey 75 g (2 ½ oz) 1.2
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
Flatfish (flounder/sole/plaice) 75 g (2 ½ oz) 0.3
* 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.
** All iron values or amounts are for cooked meat, fish, shellfish, and poultry.
Foods with Non-Heme Iron
Iron Iron
Food Serving Food Serving
(mg) (mg)
5.6–
Infant cereal, dry 28 g Swiss chard, cooked 125 mL (1/2 cup) 2.1
10.4*
Pumpkin seeds, kernels,
60 mL (1/4 cup) 8.6 Shredded wheat 30 g 1.8*
roasted
Tofu, medium firm or firm 150 g (3/4 cup) 2.4-8.0* Quinoa, cooked 125 mL (1/2 cup) 1.7
Soybeans, dried, boiled 175 mL (3/4 cup) 6.5 Seaweed, agar, dried 8 g (1/2 cup) 1.7
Quaker® instant enriched
1 package 2.8-5.6* Bagel 45g (1/2) 1.6
oatmeal
Lentils, cooked 175 mL (3/4 cup) 4.9 Prune juice, canned 125 mL (1/2 cup) 1.6
Cream of wheat, regular,
Hummus 175 ml (3/4 cup) 2.9-4.5 175 mL (3/4 cup) 1.5
prepared
Enriched cold cereal 30 g 4.0* Beet greens, cooked 125 ml (1/2 cup) 1.5
Dark red kidney beans,
175 mL (3/4 cup) 3.9 Green peas, boiled 125 mL (1/2 cup) 1.3
boiled
Blackstrap molasses 15 mL (1 Tbsp) 3.6 Tomato sauce, canned 125 ml (1/2 cup) 1.3
Sunflower seeds, kernels,
Spinach, cooked 125 ml (1/2 cup) 3.4 60 mL (1/4 cup) 1.2
roasted
Refried beans 175 mL (3/4 cup) 3.1 Whole wheat bread 35 g (1 slice) 1.2
Cream of wheat, instant,
175 mL (3/4 cup) 3.1* Eggs 2 1.2
prepared
Soy beverage 250 mL (1 cup) 2.9 Potato, baked, with skin 1 medium 1.1
Wheat germ, ready to eat, Oats, quick or large
30 g (2 Tbsp) 2.7 175 mL (3/4 cup) 1.1
toasted, plain flakes, prepared
Chickpeas, canned 175 mL (3/4 cup) 2.4 Pearled barley, cooked 125 mL (1/2 cup) 1.1
Soybeans, green/edamame
125 mL (1/2 cup) 2.4 Sauerkraut 125 mL (1/2 cup) 1.1
(cooked and shelled)
Tahini, sesame seed butter 30 g (2 Tbsp) 2.3 Pasta, enriched, cooked 125 mL (1/2 cup) 1.0
Lima beans, boiled 125 mL (1/2 cup) 2.2 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).
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or your local public health unit.
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a registered dietitian.
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