Every cell in your body contains iron. It is vital to human function because production of the blood proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin depends on it. The recommended intake for iron depends on your age and gender; it ranges between 7 mg a day for toddlers and preschoolers, to 18 mg a day for women aged 19 to 50, according to MedlinePlus. Two types of iron exist in our foods: heme and non-heme. Animal proteins contain heme iron, while some plant foods are a good source for non-heme iron. Heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body, MedlinePlus reports.
Meat, Poultry and Seafood
Red meat, poultry and seafood provide a good dietary source of heme iron. Red meat such as beef is one of the best sources, with 20 percent of the daily value in a 3-oz. serving of braised chuck beef. Dark poultry meat contains more iron than white meat. Oysters are another rich source of iron, containing 25 percent of the daily value in six breaded and fried oysters, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Other good seafood selections include crab, shrimp, tuna and halibut.
Vegetables
The best choices for vegetable sources of iron are green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, collard greens and mustard greens. A cup of boiled spinach packs 35.7 percent of the daily value for iron, according to The World's Healthiest Foods. Other good vegetable sources of iron include asparagus, leaks, tomatoes, green beans, beets and sweet potatoes.
Legumes
Many types of beans are a good source of iron. The best choices include kidney beans, lima beans, soybeans, navy beans and pinto beans. The amount of iron in a 1-cup serving varies, with 50 percent of the daily value in soybeans and 20 percent in black beans and pinto beans, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Some seeds also provide a good source of iron, including pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds, The World's Healthiest Foods reports.
Fortified Foods
Several commercially prepared foods are enriched with iron to help people meet their dietary needs. For example, many popular breakfast cereals contain varying amounts of iron. Some even have 100 percent of the daily value, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Other foods that may be enriched with iron include bread, oatmeal and grits.
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