Food Sources Of Iron

Your daily reference intake (DRI) for food sources of iron is 18 mg.

Heme iron is easily absorbed in the body and usually found in meat, fish and poultry products.

Non-Heme iron is found in plant products such as beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, fruits, cereals and
vegetables; it is not absorbed as well as a heme iron.
Heme sources

Turkey, sausage 2 oz 5.4 mg

Bison, lean, cooked 3 oz 4.1 mg

Beef, flank 3 oz 3.3 mg

Chicken, dark meat 1 cup 2.1 mg
Non-Heme sources

Soybeans 1/2 cup 4.4 mg

Pumpkin seeds 1 oz 4.2 mg

Potato with skin 1 small 4.1 mg

Apricots, dried 1/2 cup 3.8 mg

Breakfast cereal, hot or cold 1 serving 1.6-3.6 mg

Sunflower seeds 1 oz 2.4 mg

Currant, dried 1/2 cup 2.3 mg

Tomato sauce 1/2 cup 2.2 mg

Acorn squash 1 cup 1.9 mg

Black beans, cooked 1/2 cup 1.8 mg

Additional Tips:
Use cast iron cooking utensils. Research shows
that heating acidic foods with a higher moisture
content like tomatoes and applesauce for long
periods, absorb more of the iron from the skillet.
Reduce tea and coffee consumption. The
tannins found in tea interfere with iron uptake in
Vitamin C Suggestions:
the body. Taken with meals, tea and coffee can
decrease iron absorption by 50%. Bell Peppers
At every meal, eat foods with Vitamin C along Citrus Fruits
with iron-rich foods. Plant products often Tomatoes
contain compounds that can reduce absorption in Strawberries
the body. Consuming plant sources of iron with Broccoli
Vitamin C foods enhances the absorption of iron. Peas

Resources: USDA Food Composition database and The Journal of AmericanDietetics Association, Jul;86(7):897-901