Nutrient guide
Foods highest in iron
The foods highest in iron per 100 grams, ranked, plus the plant-and-vitamin-C pairing that aids absorption.
Iron is a mineral the body uses to carry oxygen in the blood. It comes in two forms: heme iron from animal foods and non-heme iron from plants such as legumes, seeds and leafy greens. Pairing plant iron with a vitamin C food helps the body absorb it.
The daily value used on nutrition labels is 18 mg. The list below ranks the foods on our index by iron per 100 grams, so you can see the strongest sources at a glance and open any food for its full profile.
Top 20 foods by iron per 100 g · open any food for its full nutrient profile
- 1Spices, thyme, dried124 mg / 100 g689% DV
- 2Spices, basil, dried90 mg / 100 g499% DV
- 3Spearmint, dried88 mg / 100 g486% DV
- 4Spices, marjoram, dried83 mg / 100 g459% DV
- 5Spices, cumin seed66 mg / 100 g369% DV
- 6Spices, turmeric, ground55 mg / 100 g306% DV
- 7Spices, dill weed, dried49 mg / 100 g271% DV
- 8Spices, celery seed45 mg / 100 g249% DV
- 9Beef, variety meats and by-products, spleen, raw45 mg / 100 g248% DV
- 10Spices, bay leaf43 mg / 100 g239% DV
- 11Spices, coriander leaf, dried43 mg / 100 g236% DV
- 12Beef, variety meats and by-products, spleen, cooked, braised39 mg / 100 g219% DV
- 13Spices, savory, ground38 mg / 100 g211% DV
- 14Spices, anise seed37 mg / 100 g206% DV
- 15Spices, oregano, dried37 mg / 100 g204% DV
- 16Spices, poultry seasoning35 mg / 100 g196% DV
- 17Spices, fenugreek seed34 mg / 100 g186% DV
- 18Spices, tarragon, dried32 mg / 100 g179% DV
- 19Spices, chervil, dried32 mg / 100 g178% DV
- 20Cereals ready-to-eat, wheat, puffed, fortified32 mg / 100 g176% DV
Want the density-first view instead? See our goal rankings or browse foods by category. You can also add these foods to a plate in the food calculator to see how they combine.
Iron guides
All guidesIron-rich foods and why they matter
Why the foods at the top of the iron chart are rarely the ones that actually raise your iron, and what to eat instead.
RankingsIron rich foods chart: top sources per serving
A chart-first ranking of the strongest iron foods in our index, split into heme and non-heme sources, with milligrams per serving, percent Daily Value, and the vitamin C pairing that helps plant iron count.
NutrientsHow to get more iron from plant foods
Plant iron behaves differently than the iron in meat, and pairing it right on the plate changes how much of it your body can actually use.
Iron-friendly recipes
All recipesIron-Rich Lentil Stew
A thick, weeknight lentil stew loaded with dark leafy greens and finished with a bright squeeze of lemon to help your body use the plant iron.
SnackBerry spinach smoothie
Plant iron and vitamin C in one glass, blended so the greens vanish and the absorption boost does the work.
DinnerBeef and barley vegetable soup
Lean stew beef simmered with hulled barley, carrots, and tomatoes for a bowl that pairs heme iron with grain fiber.
Frequently asked questions
Which foods are highest in iron?
On our index, the foods highest in iron per 100 grams include Spices, thyme, Spices, basil, Spearmint, dried. The full ranked list of the top 20 is above, each linked to its data page.
How much iron is in a daily value?
The daily value used on United States nutrition labels is 18 mg. Individual needs vary with age, sex and other factors; this is a general label reference, not dietary advice.
What counts as a good source of iron?
A serving is generally called a good source when it provides at least 10 percent of the daily value, and an excellent source at 20 percent or more. Every food page shows the percent daily value for iron.