Nutrition Atlas⌘ K

nutrient

Iron

An essential mineral used in haemoglobin, myoglobin and many enzymes.

Explore iron in 3D

Food iron is haem or non-haem. Absorption responds to iron status, meal composition and the chemical form, so iron in a food is not the same as iron absorbed.

What it does

Iron is part of haemoglobin and myoglobin and supports oxygen transport and storage. It also sits in enzymes involved in electron transfer and energy metabolism.

Where it comes from

Meat and seafood provide haem iron; legumes and fortified foods provide non-haem iron. Menstrual status changes iron loss and is part of the reference context.

Food sources

Per 100 g
Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
FoodPer 100 gDaily reference
Pumpkin seeds8.36 mg52.25–76%
Lentils7.16 mg44.75–65.09%
Chia seeds, dry6.04 mg37.75–54.91%
Ground flaxseed5.78 mg36.13–52.55%
Rolled oats4.34 mg27.13–39.45%
Show 42 more foods
Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
FoodPer 100 gDaily reference
Almonds3.74 mg23.38–34%
Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018)3.33 mg20.81–30.27%
Almonds, dry-roasted and salted3.17 mg19.81–28.82%
Roasted beef tenderloin3.04 mg19–27.64%
Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018)2.92 mg18.25–26.55%
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)2.71 mg16.94–24.64%
Anchovies, canned in olive oil, drained2.69 mg16.81–24.45%
Hummus, commercial2.41 mg15.06–21.91%
English walnuts, raw2.24 mg14–20.36%
Ground beef, 90% lean and 10% fat2.13 mg13.31–19.36%
Whole egg, raw, frozen and pasteurized1.77 mg11.06–16.09%
Light tuna, canned in water, drained1.67 mg10.44–15.18%
Beef ribeye, raw1.64 mg10.25–14.91%
Peanuts, raw1.55 mg9.69–14.09%
Spinach1.26 mg7.88–11.45%
Brown rice, long-grain, raw1.24 mg7.75–11.27%
Chickpeas, canned and rinsed1.04 mg6.5–9.45%
Braised chicken drumstick0.94 mg5.88–8.55%
Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018)0.7 mg4.38–6.36%
Hass avocado, raw0.61 mg3.83–5.57%
Canned diced tomatoes0.57 mg3.56–5.18%
Soy milk, unsweetened and shelf-stable0.54 mg3.39–4.93%
Braised chicken breast0.49 mg3.06–4.45%
Carrots, frozen and unprepared0.43 mg2.69–3.91%
Salmon0.4 mg2.51–3.65%
Orange sweet potato, peeled and raw0.4 mg2.49–3.62%
Russet potato, raw0.38 mg2.4–3.49%
Orange bell pepper, raw0.37 mg2.28–3.32%
Chicken breast, raw0.35 mg2.21–3.22%
Blueberries, raw0.34 mg2.13–3.09%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018)0.34 mg2.13–3.09%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018)0.34 mg2.13–3.09%
Grape tomatoes, raw0.33 mg2.06–3%
Navel orange, raw0.33 mg2.06–3%
Oat milk, unsweetened and refrigerated0.26 mg1.63–2.37%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw0.26 mg1.62–2.35%
Strawberries, raw0.26 mg1.59–2.32%
Mature carrots, raw0.15 mg0.94–1.36%
White rice, long-grain, raw0.14 mg0.88–1.27%
Cottage cheese, 2% fat0.13 mg0.81–1.18%
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat0.07 mg0.44–0.64%
Pie pumpkin, raw0.06 mg0.39–0.57%

Compared with EFSA’s adult reference of 11–16 mg/day. The percentage range reflects different adult reference groups.

About these amounts

These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.

Healthy European adults; men and postmenopausal women / premenopausal women. Population reference intake: 11–16 mg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.

Portions recorded by the source

  • Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 4.28 mg, 26.75–38.9% of the daily reference.
  • Roasted beef tenderloin: 1 roast (462 g) — 14.04 mg, 87.78–127.68% of the daily reference.
  • Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.82 mg, 5.11–7.43% of the daily reference.
  • Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — 2.37 mg, 14.82–21.56% of the daily reference.
  • Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 0.98 mg, 6.11–8.89% of the daily reference.
  • Canned diced tomatoes: 1 cup (245 g) — 1.4 mg, 8.73–12.7% of the daily reference.
  • Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 0.85 mg, 5.33–7.75% of the daily reference.
  • Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 0.29 mg, 1.79–2.6% of the daily reference.
  • Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 0.11 mg, 0.68–0.99% of the daily reference.

The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.

Roles and processes

  • Red blood cells
    Iron is part of haemoglobin in Red blood cells

    The body uses iron to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Related topics

  • Vitamin C
    Vitamin C improves absorption of Iron

    Vitamin C can enhance non-haem iron absorption within a meal. Long-term iron status still depends on the whole diet, iron stores, and other factors.

  • Phytate
    Phytate can reduce absorption of Iron

    Phytate can inhibit non-haem iron absorption in a meal. EFSA notes that single-meal studies can overstate the effect across a whole diet.

Worth knowing

  • Vitamin C and phytate are meal relationships. Vitamin C can improve non-haem iron absorption, while phytate can reduce it within a meal. Neither edge alone predicts long-term iron status.

  • Haem and non-haem iron behave differently. Haem iron is part of haemoglobin and myoglobin. Non-haem iron occurs in plant foods and fortified products and is more affected by the rest of the meal.

A closer look

Supplement and deficiency safety

Iron supplements can be harmful at excess intakes and can interact with medicines. Deficiency, pregnancy and anaemia questions require current clinical guidance.

Hepcidin links absorption and recycling

Hepcidin regulates iron export from intestinal cells and storage cells, linking absorption and red-cell iron recycling with the body’s current iron needs. A meal amount therefore does not equal the amount ultimately incorporated into haemoglobin.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.

  1. European Food Safety AuthorityScientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for ironChecked 2026-09-05
  2. NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsIron: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
  3. European Food Safety AuthorityDietary Reference Values for nutrients: Summary reportChecked 2026-09-05
  4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
  5. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
  6. European Food Safety AuthorityScientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesiumChecked 2026-09-04
  7. NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsMagnesium: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-04
  8. USDA Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData CentralChecked 2026-09-04
  9. NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsVitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05

Take it into the kitchen

Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.

Banana & peanut oats · 8 min →

Berry yogurt oats · 5 min →

Apple & walnut porridge · 10 min →

All 40 easy meals →