Explore Top 75 Plant-Based Iron Sources

Iron is an important dietary mineral that the body needs for growth and various bodily functions, which includes the transport of oxygen in the blood. It’s an essential mineral to provide energy to the body.

Mild iron deficiency may not be noticeable. In more severe cases of iron deficiency anemia (when the body lacks healthy blood cells), this condition can cause symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, headaches, and shortness of breath, as well as reduced immune function, making a person more vulnerable to infections. Not all iron deficiencies are caused by a lack of iron in the diet. Sometimes, this is the result of an underlying condition and requires a medical diagnosis.

Forms of Dietary Iron

There are two forms of dietary iron: heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron is a type found mostly in blood and muscles. Heme iron is named because of the heme protein attached to the iron atom. This form of iron is obtained from meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, and fish, and is what gives meats their “meaty” flavor (although Impossible Burgers have found a way to derive this from soybeans).

Nonheme iron, as the name suggests, does not have the heme protein attached. Although this is also found in some animal products, this is the iron found in plant-based foods such as dried beans, lentils, dark, leafy vegetables, and nuts. This form of iron is not as quickly absorbed into the body as heme iron foods. Nonheme iron accounts for about 90% of the iron we consume through food.

Approximate Rate of Absorption of Iron

Heme iron, found in meats, is more readily absorbed in the body, and the absorption rate is somewhere between 15-35%. This means that out of 100g of heme iron, 15-35g are taken in to be used by the body. Nonheme iron sources, such as those found in vegetables, nuts, legumes, and grains, has a lower absorption rate, typically below 5-15%. See the chart below for estimates of the percent of iron in food that the body absorbs.

Enhancing Iron Absorption from Plant Sources

Since heme iron is not as easily absorbed as iron from animal sources, what can be done to help absorption of plant-based iron?

• Consume plant-based iron with foods rich in vitamin C – High-iron plant-based foods can be paired with foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus, broccoli, kale, peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries. The combination of iron-rich foods, such as legumes, paired with citrusy fruits, can really make for a tasty meal.
• Increase foods with carotenoids, which help produce vitamin A – Vitamin A helps the body release iron, but is only found in animal-sourced foods. Carotenoids include alpha-carotene and beta-carotene and can be turned into vitamin A in your body.
• Eat more foods high in nonheme iron – There is a good variety of iron-rich plant-based foods to choose from. Eating more legumes, nuts, and vegetables that are rich in iron and can help get sufficient amounts of the mineral. See list below.
• Limit drinks such as coffee, tea, soda, and alcoholic beverages at meals – As much as we love them, they may hinder the body’s ability to absorb iron as well. Consider drinking these in lesser quantities or separately from meal times.
• Soak ingredients such as rice, soy, nuts, and legumes – Soaking them removes phytate, or phytic acid, which impairs iron absorption.
• Limit dairy products and calcium-rich foods when eating iron-rich foods – Although calcium is essential for mineral and bone health, it may have a short-term effect of lowering iron absorption. Consider eating calcium-rich foods at different times from food high in iron.

Interesting Findings: Which Plant-Based Foods Are Richest in Iron?

• Legumes: Legumes rank high in iron content. Notably, soybeans lead with over 15% iron.
• Seeds and Nuts: Various seeds, such as sesame, flax, and pumpkin, are also rich in iron. Nuts follow closely as another significant category rich in iron.
• Mushroom Power: Morel mushrooms are one of the top contenders as a major source of plant-based iron, though this delicacy is rare and difficult to find. Other common mushrooms don’t offer as much iron.
• Vegetables: A variety of vegetables also feature prominently among plant-based iron sources.
• Fruits: Notably, few fresh fruits make the top 75 list. Dried fruits have higher iron due to water removal.

List of Top Iron Plant-Based Foods That Are High in Iron

Here is a list of the top 75 plant-based foods, such as nuts and seeds, vegetables, legumes, and fruit that are high in iron. For this list, as a rule, we are using few dried fruits, except when such fruit is the mainly consumed as such, for example goji berries. Unless otherwise indicated, all foods are raw or uncooked. All of the iron sources in this chart are from nonheme plant-based iron sources.

The chart lists the number of milligrams in 100 g of food, for instance, 6.2 mg in the chart means that 6.2% of the food is iron.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center. FoodData Central. [Internet]. [cited Nov 5, 2024]. Available from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/. Main source “SR Legacy” table.