Whether you like to pump iron at the gym or pump your legs on the treadmill, getting enough iron into your body is vital.
From transporting oxygen to muscles to helping build connective tissue to supporting basic cell function, iron is essential for a healthy body.
Fortunately, getting enough of this key mineral is easy when you know which foods are high in iron.
What is iron?
Iron is a naturally occurring mineral and an essential nutrient. This means our bodies need it to function normally but cannot make it themselves.
So it must be consumed in the diet. Fortunately, many foods contain iron — including meat and plant sources — as well as a variety of foods that have been fortified with iron.
Heme vs Non-Heme Iron
There are two main forms of dietary iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found in red meat, poultry and seafood, while non-heme iron is mainly found in plant foods.
Another key difference: Heme iron offers higher bioavailability, which makes it easier for the body to absorb, explains Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD.
To help your body absorb non-heme iron, pair it with animal products or plant-based foods that contain vitamin C, Giancoli says.
Both help make non-heme iron better available for absorption.
Fortunately, your body doesn’t differentiate between how it uses heme and non-heme iron. So whether you’re a vegetarian or a carnivore, it’s possible to get all the iron your body needs.
What does iron do for the body?
“Iron plays an essential role in many functions in the body,” says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. “This includes helping to make hemoglobin which transports oxygen throughout the body, as well as playing a role in making some of the body’s hormones and connective tissue.”
Iron is also necessary for growth and development, normal cell function, and the formation of myoglobin, a protein that helps deliver oxygen to muscles.
How much iron do I need?
The amount of iron you need depends on many factors, including your age, gender, and diet.
For adult men, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 8 milligrams per day.
Adult, premenopausal women, however, need significantly more iron — 18 milligrams per day — than is lost due to menstruation.
The RDA is about twice as high for vegetarians and vegans, as non-heme iron from plants provides less bioavailability.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set its own Daily Value (DV) for labeling foods based on their maximum RDA value.
So the DV for iron is 18 milligrams for Americans over age 4.
Can you get too much iron?
“It’s possible to get too much iron, but usually not from food,” explains Giancoli. “The gut helps regulate iron absorption, so unless you have some kind of malabsorption in your gut, it’s very difficult to get too much iron from food.”
Iron supplements are often the culprit in rare cases of iron overload and can cause gastric upset, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, nausea and fainting.
How do I know if I have an iron deficiency?
Although iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States, it is still relatively rare.
Adolescent girls and women with heavy menstrual flow, pregnant women, regular blood donors and certain groups with cancer, heart failure or gastrointestinal disorders face a high risk of iron deficiency.
Studies have also shown that certain ethnic groups, such as black and Mexican-American women, face a higher risk.
“Insufficient iron can go undetected until you get blood work done,” says Giancoli
On the other hand, a true iron deficiency can often lead to iron deficiency anemia and more severe symptoms, explains Gorin. “Symptoms of anemia include feeling tired, pale skin, irritability, low appetite and light-headedness.”
Severe anemia can lead to gastrointestinal problems, poor cognitive function and immune function, and problems regulating one’s own body temperature.
If you are concerned that you may have an iron deficiency, ask your doctor for a blood test.
16. Good source of iron
So what iron food sources should you consume to keep your body functioning optimally?
According to the FDA, a food can be considered a “good source” of iron if it contains 20 percent or more of the DV (3.6 milligrams) and 10 to 19. percent of the DV (1.8 to 3.5 mg).
Whether you’re a meat eater, veggie lover, or both, there are a variety of iron-rich foods that can help you meet your body’s daily needs.
1. Liver
Iron: changes Worship: 3 oz., cooked
Liver may not be part of your usual weeknight dinner rotation, but you’ll get 10 milligrams of iron from chicken liver and 6 milligrams from braised beef liver.
2. Tofu
Iron: 7 mg Worship: ½ cup, raw
This same serving of tofu provides 10 grams of protein and 40 percent of the DV for calcium.
3. Breakfast cereal
Iron: changes Worship: Varies based on concentration
Many breakfast cereals are protected with 100 percent (or more) of the DV for iron. Be sure to check the label to make sure it’s low in sugar, too.
4. Dark chocolate
Iron: 3.4 mg Worship: 1 aj.
Twist our arms — one ounce of dark chocolate (70-85 percent cacao solids) is 19 percent of your RDA if you’re a woman and 43 percent if you’re a man.
5. Beef
Iron: changes Worship: 3 oz., cooked
Red meat is a good source of iron, but the amount depends on the cut. A serving of chuck provides 3 mg of iron, while the same amount of ground beef contains 2.5 mg.
6. Oysters
Iron: 8 mg Worship: 3 oz., cooked
Three ounces of eastern oysters (also known as Atlantic oysters, Virginia oysters, or American oysters) are an excellent source of iron, and the zinc content is off the charts.
7. White beans
Iron: 4 mg Worship: ½ cup, canned
Half a cup of canned white beans such as cannellini or great northern beans is an excellent source of iron with 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber.
8. Morel mushrooms
Iron: 4 mg Worship: ½ cup, raw
Look for morel mushrooms, well known for their honeycomb appearance, fresh at farmers markets in mid- to late spring or dried at your local grocery store.
9. Pumpkin seeds
Iron: 3 mg Worship: 1 oz., dry
Not only are they high in iron, pumpkin seeds also contain healthy amounts of magnesium, zinc and copper and contain more protein than carbohydrates.
10. Lentils
Iron: 3 mg Worship: ½ cup, cooked
For added convenience, look for pre-cooked lentils in the refrigerated section of your grocery store to add to salads, sides or soups.
11. Spinach
Iron: 3 mg Worship: ½ cup, cooked
Pope went to do something! Mix spinach with scrambled eggs or serve with roast chicken to help your body use this source of non-heme iron more efficiently.
12. Kidney beans
Iron: 3 mg Worship: ½ cup, cooked
Add kidney beans to your next batch of chili, soup, or curry, and you’ll not only get a good source of iron, but also 8 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber.
13. Sardines
Iron: 3 mg Worship: 3.75 oz., canned
Drain the oil and add the sardines to pizza, pasta dishes or homemade Caesar dressing.
14. Chickpeas
Iron: 2 mg Worship: ½ cup, cooked
Whether you call them chickpeas or garbanzo beans, pop them in the oven with spices for a crunchy snack or make your own DIY hummus.
15. Potatoes
Iron: 2 mg Worship: 1 large potato, baked
You need to eat the whole potato (flesh and skin!) to get a full complement of iron.
16. Rich egg noodles
Iron: 2 mg Worship: 1 cup, cooked
Generally whole-grain pasta is preferable, but the added iron (as well as thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and folic acid) makes egg noodles a good source of the mineral.
17. Cashews
Iron: 2 mg Worship: 1 aj.
Roasted or raw, cashews are not only a good source of iron, but also heart-healthy fats.
