Top 10 foods high in iron
Ranked from USDA's reference data for whole and generic foods. Pick a food to see its full nutrition label.
- USDA FoodData Central for whole and branded foods.
- Open Food Facts for product photos and international labels.
- Wikimedia Commons for photos of whole foods.
Calories, vitamins, and minerals for your age, sex, size, and activity.
Work out your targetsAll foods high in iron
Ranked by amount per 100 g across 6,974 USDA foods that report iron.
-
1
Spices, thyme, dried
SR LegacySpices and Herbs · 276 kcal per 100 gIron high 124 mg per 100 g · 687% DVAbout 1.2 mg in 1 tsp, leaves (1 g) -
2
Whale, beluga, meat, dried (Alaska Native)
SR LegacyAmerican Indian/Alaska Native Foods · 327 kcal per 100 gIron high 72 mg per 100 g · 402% DVAbout 33 mg in 1 strip (45 g) -
3
Babyfood, cereal, oatmeal, with honey, dry
SR LegacyBaby Foods · 391 kcal per 100 gIron high 67 mg per 100 g · 374% DVAbout 1.6 mg in 1 tbsp (2.4 g) -
4
Parsley, freeze-dried
SR LegacyVegetables and Vegetable Products · 271 kcal per 100 gIron high 54 mg per 100 g · 299% DVAbout 0.216 mg in 1 tbsp (0.4 g) -
5
Beef, variety meats and by-products, spleen, raw
SR LegacyBeef Products · 105 kcal per 100 gIron high 45 mg per 100 g · 247% DVAbout 13 mg in 1 oz (28.4 g) -
6
Cereals ready-to-eat, rice, puffed, fortified
SR LegacyBreakfast Cereals · 402 kcal per 100 gIron high 32 mg per 100 g · 176% DVAbout 4.4 mg in 1 cup (14 g) -
7
Seaweed, spirulina, dried
SR LegacyVegetables and Vegetable Products · 290 kcal per 100 gIron high 29 mg per 100 g · 158% DVAbout 32 mg in 1 cup (112 g) -
8
Beverages, nutritional shake mix, high protein, powder
SR LegacyBeverages · 392 kcal per 100 gIron high 23 mg per 100 g · 125% DVAbout 2.3 mg in 1 tbsp (10 g) -
9
Chives, freeze-dried
SR LegacyVegetables and Vegetable Products · 311 kcal per 100 gIron high 20 mg per 100 g · 111% DVAbout 0.04 mg in 1 tbsp (0.2 g) -
10
Seeds, sesame butter, paste
SR LegacyNut and Seed Products · 586 kcal per 100 gIron high 19 mg per 100 g · 107% DVAbout 3.1 mg in 1 tbsp (16 g)
Amounts are per 100 g, so compare serving sizes too: a food can rank high per 100 g but be eaten in small amounts. Similar foods, such as organ meats from different animals or different cuts of beef, appear once: the highest-ranked one is shown.
Data: USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (2026-04-30 release) and SR Legacy (2018), with Foundation values preferred. Brand-name products aren't ranked, including the brand-name items in USDA's reference data. How rankings work · See percentages of your own daily needs · Search for the words “high in iron” instead