Iron In Your Diet
Forms of Dietary Iron
● Heme iron comes from animal
sources such as beef, pork, lamb,
fish, chicken and turkey. Your body
absorbs heme iron better than
non-heme iron.
● Non-heme iron is found in fortified
grain products, beans, peas, eggs,
and some fruits and vegetables.
Your body does not absorb
non-heme iron as well.
To Increase Iron Intake & Absorption
● Enjoy many iron-rich foods.
● Eat at least one iron-rich food at
each meal.
● Check the nutrition label on
breakfast cereals. Look for at least
30% of the Recommended Daily
Value for iron.
● Add beans to soups, stews or
casseroles.
● Have pasta with tomato sauce
instead of cream sauce.
● Add dried fruit to cereal or your
favorite baked good recipe.
● Combine vitamin C-rich foods with
iron-rich foods. Vitamin C helps your
body absorb iron. This is very
important for vegetarians.
● Use a cast iron skillet for cooking.
● Add blackstrap molasses to baked
goods.
Avoid large amounts of calcium, coffee and
tea with meals. These may decrease the
amount of iron your body absorbs.
Food Sources of Vitamin C
Vitamin C foods help your body absorb iron
if eaten at the same time as iron-rich foods.
● Orange
● Kiwi
● Tomato juice
● Orange juice
● Grapefruit
● Pineapple
● Mango
● Papaya
● Strawberries
● Cantaloupe
● Tomato
● Bell pepper
● Peapods
● Cauliflower
● Potato
Foods with Heme
Iron
mg of Iron
Oysters, 3 oz 4
Beef, 3 oz. 2
Chicken, 3 oz 1
Egg, 1 large 1
Pork or ham, 3 oz. 1
Tuna, 3 oz. 1
Salmon, 3 oz 1
Foods with
Non-heme Iron
Mg Iron
Fortified breakfast
cereal, 1 oz.
5-18
Instant oatmeal, 1
packet
4
Lentils, cooked, ½
cup
3
Spinach, cooked, ½
cup
3
Beans (kidney,
black, pinto, lima,
white, garbanzo), ½
cup
2
Tofu, ½ cup 2
Edamame, ½ cup 2
Sunflower seeds, ¼
cup
2
Prune juice, ½ cup 2
Enriched bread, 1
slice
1
Enriched pasta,
cooked, ½ cup
1
Enriched rice,
cooked, ½ cup
1
Medium baked
potato w/ skin
1
Green peas,
cooked, ½ cup
1
Almonds or
cashews, 1 oz.
1
Raisins, 1 oz. 0.5
Dried apricots, 5
halves
0.5
You may be at risk for iron deficiency if you
are vegan, vegetarian, have an eating
disorder, and/or have gastrointestinal
disease (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, celiac
disease).
If you suspect you may have iron deficiency
or anemia, please make an appointment
with a Primary Care Provider to discuss
having lab work done.
