Food rankings
Highest-iron foods, ranked
Iron carries oxygen in the blood and underpins energy metabolism, with an FDA Daily Value of 18 mg. The foods below hold the most iron per 100 grams in our USDA-sourced database. One nuance the numbers cannot show: iron from animal foods (heme) is absorbed more efficiently than plant iron (non-heme), and pairing plant sources with vitamin C improves uptake.
Ranked by milligrams of iron per 100 g; Daily Value is 18 mg.
Top foods chart
Top 8 · Iron / 100 g
| # | Food | Iron / 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dark chocolate 598 kcal · 8 g protein · Other | 11.9 mg |
| 2 | Pumpkin seeds 559 kcal · 30 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 8.8 mg |
| 3 | Chia seeds 486 kcal · 17 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 7.7 mg |
| 4 | Mussels 172 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 6.7 mg |
| 5 | Cashews 565 kcal · 17 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 6 mg |
| 6 | Brazil nuts 565 kcal · 17 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 6 mg |
| 7 | Flaxseeds 545 kcal · 18 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 5.8 mg |
| 8 | Oats 246 kcal · 17 g protein · Grains & Starches | 5.4 mg |
| 9 | Sunflower seeds 584 kcal · 21 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 5.3 mg |
| 10 | Oysters 159 kcal · 29 g protein · Seafood | 4.9 mg |
| 11 | Duck breast 123 kcal · 20 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 4.5 mg |
| 12 | Almond butter 645 kcal · 21 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 4.1 mg |
| 13 | Granola 489 kcal · 14 g protein · Other | 4 mg |
| 14 | Pistachios 560 kcal · 20 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 3.9 mg |
| 15 | Almonds 626 kcal · 21 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 3.7 mg |
| 16 | Macadamia nuts 718 kcal · 8 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 3.7 mg |
| 17 | Spinach 23 kcal · 3 g protein · Vegetables | 3.6 mg |
| 18 | Bagel 264 kcal · 11 g protein · Grains & Starches | 3.6 mg |
| 19 | Hazelnuts 641 kcal · 13 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 3.5 mg |
| 20 | Flour tortilla 0 kcal · 0 g protein · Grains & Starches | 3.4 mg |
| 21 | White bread 290 kcal · 9 g protein · Grains & Starches | 3.3 mg |
| 22 | Lentils 114 kcal · 9 g protein · Legumes | 3.3 mg |
| 23 | Olives 81 kcal · 1 g protein · Other | 3.3 mg |
| 24 | Whole wheat bread 262 kcal · 10 g protein · Grains & Starches | 3.1 mg |
| 25 | Kidney beans 127 kcal · 9 g protein · Legumes | 2.9 mg |
Dark chocolate tops the list at 11.9 mg, followed by Pumpkin seeds (8.8 mg) and Chia seeds (7.7 mg). Below are the top 25.
Questions
- Which food is highest on this list?
- Dark chocolate ranks first at 11.9 mg. Pumpkin seeds (8.8 mg) and Chia seeds (7.7 mg) follow.
- Heme vs non-heme iron — does it matter?
- Yes. Heme iron from meat, poultry, and fish is absorbed more readily than non-heme iron from plants. Eating vitamin-C-rich foods alongside plant iron meaningfully improves absorption.
- Can you get too much iron from food?
- Excess from ordinary food is uncommon, but supplements can push intake too high. This ranking is food only; consult a clinician about supplementation.
More rankings
Highest-protein foods, ranked
Ranked by grams of protein per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central).
Most protein per calorie, ranked
Ranked by grams of protein per 100 kcal (protein ÷ calories × 100).
Highest-fiber foods, ranked
Ranked by grams of dietary fiber per 100 g; Daily Value is 28 g.
Highest-calcium foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of calcium per 100 g; Daily Value is 1,300 mg.
Highest-potassium foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of potassium per 100 g; Daily Value is 4,700 mg.
Lowest-calorie foods, ranked
Ranked by lowest calories (kcal) per 100 g.
Lowest-carb foods, ranked
Ranked by lowest total carbohydrate (g) per 100 g.
Highest vitamin C foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of vitamin C per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central). FDA Daily Value: 90 mg.
Highest-magnesium foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of magnesium per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central). FDA Daily Value: 420 mg.
References & methodology
- Data source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service — FoodData Central (public domain). Each food links to its individual record.
- Method: Ranked by milligrams of iron per 100 g; Daily Value is 18 mg. Ties are listed in dataset order; the table shows the top 25.
- Daily Values: FDA Nutrition Facts label, 2016 update (adults and children aged 4+).
- Scope: ranked across the 177 common foods in the NutriFactsHub database; it is a representative shortlist, not every food in existence.
- Last reviewed: June 2026.
Cite this page
NutriFactsHub. “Highest-iron foods, ranked.” https://www.nutrifactshub.com/best/high-iron-foods