Foods high in iron | healthdirect 8/28/20, 10:33 AM

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Foods high in iron

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Iron is a nutrient needed for many functions of the body, such as making haemoglobin in red blood cells, which transports
oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. While it can store iron, your body can't make it. The only way to get iron is from
food.

Iron-rich foods
There are 2 types of iron in food: haem and non-haem. Haem iron, found in meat, poultry and seafood, is absorbed more
effectively than non-haem iron, which is found in eggs and plant foods.

Animal-based sources of iron

Top animal-based sources of iron include:

! liver (chicken, lamb)

! sardines
! kangaroo
! beef
! lamb
! egg (chicken)
! duck
! canned salmon

Plant-based sources of iron

Plant foods containing non-haem iron can still provide an adequate amount of iron for the body. Good sources include:

! legumes (such as lentils, beans and chickpeas)

! firm tofu
! tempeh
! pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and sunflower seeds
! nuts, especially cashews and almonds
! wholegrain cereals such as oats or muesli, wholemeal bread, brown rice, amaranth and quinoa
! dried apricots
! vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach and green peas
! dried apricots

How much iron do I need?

Your recommended daily intake (RDI) of iron depends on your age and sex:

! Children aged 1-3 years — 9 milligrams (mg)

! Children 4-8 — 10mg

! Boys 9-13 — 8mg

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! Boys 14-18 — 11mg

! Girls 9-13 — 8mg

! Girls 14-18 — 15mg

! Men (adult) — 8mg

! Women aged 19-50 — 18mg
! Women 51+ — 8mg
! Pregnant women — 27mg
! Women breastfeeding exclusively — 9-10mg
Women need more iron to replace the amount lost in blood during menstruation. Until menopause, women need about
twice as much iron as men.
Iron deficiency occurs when your iron levels are too low, which can lead to anaemia. If you are worried you have an iron
deficiency, your doctor may order some blood tests and may suggest iron supplements.

Need help getting enough iron?

Click on this infographic to ensure you get an adequate iron intake
from a balanced diet.
Learn how much iron you need each day, which foods are the best
sources of iron and how to incorporate them in your diet.

How to improve iron absorption from food

How you prepare food, and which foods you eat together, can affect how much iron your body absorbs.
For example, foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, kiwi fruit, melons, green leafy vegies and
capsicum, can help you absorb more iron if you eat them at the same time as iron-rich foods. Add them raw to your plate,
drink unsweetened orange juice with your meal, or take a vitamin C supplement.
Coffee, tea and red wine (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), on the other hand, can reduce iron absorption. Calcium-rich
foods, calcium supplements and some soybean-based foods can also inhibit iron absorption.
It’s better to have coffee, tea, red wine and dairy foods in between meals.

Can you have too much iron?

In healthy people, the body regulates how much iron it absorbs from food and supplements — so it’s difficult to have ‘too
much’ iron in your diet.
However, some people have a genetic condition called haemochromatosis, which causes the body to absorb excess iron. The
normal level of iron in the body is 3-4 grams, but in people with haemochromatosis it can be more than 20g.
About 1 person in every 300 has haemochromatosis, and it’s usually picked up through screening people who have a close
relative with the condition.
Talk to your GP if you have any concerns about your iron levels.

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Sources:
Gastroenterological Society of Australia (Iron deficiency), Gastroenterological Society of Australia (Information about iron
deficiency), NHMRC (Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand - Iron), Mayo Clinic (Iron deficiency anaemia),
Healthdirect Australia (Vegetarian and vegan diets), Gastroenterological Society of Australia (Iron deficiency - clinical update),
WebMD (Non-Alcoholic Red Wine May Boost Heart Health), Better Health Channel (Iron), National Blood Authority (Managing
my iron), Medical Journal of Australia (Iron and vegetarian diets), Gastroenterological Society of Australia (Information about
Haemochromatosis), Food Standards Australia New Zealand (Australian Food Composition Database)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: February 2020

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