Iron is an integral part of the red blood cells that carry oxygen around your body. Men should get 8 mg of iron each day and women should get 18 mg. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, causing fatigue, weight loss, chest pains, headache and increased risk of getting infections. Iron naturally occurs in some foods and is added to others.
Fish and Shellfish
Animal foods contain heme iron, the form of iron that is more easily absorbed in your body than the nonheme iron from plant sources. Oysters provide 5.9 mg of heme iron in a 3 oz. serving. Clams provide 3 mg of iron in 3/4 cup serving. Sardines, tuna, salmon, herring and cod contain reasonable amounts of iron. Atlantic cod contains 0.4 mg, haddock contains 0.2 mg and pink salmon contains 0.7 mg in 3 oz.
Fortified Foods
Manufacturers add iron to some food products, such as bread, white rice, pasta and malted drinks. A 1-cup serving of white rice provides 6.2 mg of iron. Malted drinks made with whole milk contain 3.8 mg in 1 cup. Fortified breakfast cereals contain the highest level of dietary iron, offering from 25 to 100 percent of the daily value in one serving. General Mills Total Corn Flakes and Total Raisin Bran provide 18 mg in a 1-cup serving. This is the nonheme form of iron.
Beef, Poultry and Liver
Chicken, turkey and duck are good sources of heme iron. Chicken provides 10.2 mg in 1 cup. Liver is another good source of iron. One chicken liver provides 2.3 mg, while a 3 oz. serving of beef liver provides 5.2 mg of iron. Beef cuts, such as chuck, eye of round and tenderloin, provide from 1.5 mg to 3.2 mg of iron in a 3 oz. serving.
Plant Foods
Spinach, dandelion greens, kale and other green leafy vegetables provide a source of nonheme iron. Cooked spinach provides 6.4 mg in 1 cup, while cooked kale provides 1.2 mg. Lentils, beans, nuts and dried fruits also contain iron. A 1-cup serving of red kidney beans contains 5.2 mg, white beans contain 7.8 mg, navy beans contain 4.3 mg and great northern beans contain 3.8 mg of iron. Cashews provide 1.7 mg of iron and almonds provide 1.1 mg in a 1 oz. serving. To increase iron absorption, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises consuming iron-rich foods with foods containing vitamin C, such as guava, pepper, citrus fruits, brussels sprouts and papaya.
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