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As the Dietary Guidelines for Americans state, “Different foods contain different nutrients and other healthful substances. No single food can supply all the nutrients in the amounts you need”. The following tables suggest dietary sources of heme and nonheme iron. As the table indicates, meat, poultry, fish and seafood are good sources of heme iron and beans are good sources of nonheme iron. In addition, many foods are fortified with iron. Some foods, such as cereals, may be fortified with 100% of the Daily Value (DV)* for iron. It is important for anyone who is considering taking an iron supplement to first consider whether their needs are being met by natural dietary sources of heme and nonheme iron and foods fortified with iron. If you want more information about building a healthful diet, refer to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide
Pyramid.
Table of Food Sources of Heme Iron
| Food |
Milligrams |
%DV * |
| Chicken liver,
cooked, 3 ounces |
7.0 |
40 |
| Oysters, breaded and
fried, 6 |
4.5 |
25 |
| Beef, chuck, braised, 3 ounces |
3.2 |
20 |
| Clams, breaded,
fried, 3/4 cup |
3.0 |
15 |
| Beef, tenderloin,
roasted, 3 ounces |
3.0 |
15 |
| Turkey, dark meat,
roasted, 3 ounces |
2.0 |
10 |
| Beef, eye of round,
roasted, 3 ounces |
1.7 |
10 |
| Turkey, light meat,
roasted, 3 ounces |
1.2 |
6 |
| Tuna, fresh bluefin,
cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces |
1.1 |
6 |
| Chicken, leg, meat
only, roasted, 3 ounces |
1.1 |
6 |
| Crab, blue crab, flaked &
pieces, cooked, moist heat, 1 cup |
1.1 |
6 |
| Chicken, breast,
roasted, 3 ounces |
1.0 |
5 |
| Halibut, cooked, dry
heat, 3 ounces |
0.9 |
5 |
| Pork, loin, meat
only, broiled, 3 ounces |
0.8 |
4 |
| Tuna, white, canned in
water, 3 ounces |
0.8 |
4 |
| Crab, blue crab,
cooked, moist heat, 3 ounces |
0.8 |
4 |
| Shrimp, mixed
species, cooked, moist heat, 4 large |
0.7 |
4 |
| * DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. The DV for iron is 18 milligrams (mg). The percent DV (%DV) listed on the nutrition facts panel of food labels tells adults what percentage of the DV is provided in one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet. |
Table of Food Sources of Nonheme Iron
| Food |
Milligrams |
%DV * |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, 100%
fortified, 3/4 cup |
18.0 |
100 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, 50%
fortified, 3/4 cup |
9.0 |
50 |
| Soybeans, mature,
cooked, boiled, 1 cup |
8 |
50 |
| Lentils, cooked,
boiled, 1 cup |
6 |
35 |
| Grits, white,
enriched, instant, 1 packet prepared |
5.4 |
30 |
| Oatmeal, instant,
fortified, 1/2 cup |
4.1 |
25 |
| Kidney beans, cooked,
boiled, 1 cup |
5.2 |
25 |
| Pinto beans, cooked,
boiled, 1 cup |
4.6 |
25 |
| Lima beans, cooked,
boiled, 1 cup |
4.2 |
25 |
| Navy beans, cooked,
boiled, 1 cup |
3.8 |
20 |
| Black beans, cooked,
boiled, 1 cup |
3.6 |
20 |
| Spinach, cooked,
boiled, drained, 1/2 cup |
3.2 |
20 |
| Spinach, canned, drained solids 1/2 cup |
2.5 |
10 |
| Tofu, firm, 1/2 cup |
1.8 |
10 |
| Black-eyed-peas,
cooked, boiled, 1 cup |
1.8 |
10 |
| Spinach, frozen,
cooked, boiled 1/2 cup |
1.4 |
8 |
| Whole wheat bread, 1 slice |
0.9 |
5 |
| Molasses, 1 Tablespoon |
0.9 |
5 |
| White bread,
enriched, 1 slice |
0.8 |
4 |
| Raisins, seedless, 50 |
0.5 |
2 |
| * DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. The DV for iron is 18 milligrams (mg). The percent DV (%DV) listed on the nutrition facts panel of food labels tells adults what percentage of the DV is provided in one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful
diet. |
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