Iron is an essential nutrient, serving as a building block for many of the body's enzymes and proteins. Iron plays a major role in oxygenation of the body, electron transport, energy production, growth, healing, immune-system functions and reproductive processes, according to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute. Many otherwise healthy foods also contain significant levels of iron, making it simple to have an adequate iron intake while on a diet.
Poultry and Seafood
Animal products are the only source of the most digestible type of iron, heme iron. While red meat has a high iron content, it is also high in saturated fat, so is not an ideal diet food. Poultry and seafood are healthier, more diet-friendly, iron-rich alternatives. Chicken and turkey both provide over 1 mg of iron per 3.5 ounces, notes the McKinley Health Center. Clams and oysters are excellent sources of heme iron, and shrimp, tuna, salmon and cod are other notable sources.
Vegetables
Vegetables are a major component of any healthy diet, and some are a key source of iron, albeit the less-digestible non-heme variety. Dark, leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, kelp, mustard greens, collard greens and turnip greens, are low-calorie, nutrient-rich sources of iron ideal for a diet. Legumes, including lentils, lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans and peas are other good options. Soybeans are particularly high in iron, with 1 cup providing 8.8 mg. Other vegetables containing iron include broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, leeks, and celery.
Whole Grains
A successful diet replaces refined grains with whole grains for complex carbohydrates that provide energy and don't trigger spikes and crashes of blood sugar levels. Just 1 cup of oatmeal has 10 mg of iron, making it an ideal diet food for providing this nutrient. Brown rice and quinoa contain iron as well, while two slices of whole wheat bread has 1.8 mg.
Seasonings
Diet food does not need to be bland. Many seasonings are nutrient rich and low-calorie, so they can be used liberally while you're dieting. Seasonings that provide iron include seeds such as coriander, cumin, mustard and sesame; herbs such as parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary, dill and oregano; and other seasonings, such as molasses, cinnamon and black pepper, according to the George Mateljan Foundation's website, The World's Healthiest Foods.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit, in moderation, makes for a healthy snack while dieting. Ten medium-sized dried apricots offer 1.7 mg of iron. The same quantity of dates provides similar iron content, while prunes and raisins are other iron sources.
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