Iron-Rich Foods

Iron is important in transporting oxygen from lung to the tissues in our body. The following shows some of the iron-rich foods:

	Iron (mg) per 100 g
Meat
Beef (cooked)	4.1
Lamb (cooked)	2.7
Pork (cooked)	1.8
Chicken (cooked)	1.2
Fish
Octopus (cooked)	9.5
Oyster (cooked)	8.1
Mussel (cooked)	6.7
Clam (cooked)	2.8
Tuna, canned in water	1.5
Nuts
Sesame	14.6
Sunflower seeds	6.8
Cashew nuts	6
Pistachio	4
Almond	3.7
Walnut	2.9
Peanut	1.6
Beans
Soybean (cooked)	5.1
Lentils (cooked)	3.3
Red Kidney (cooked)	2.9
Chickpea (cooked)	2.9
Red Bean (cooked)	2
Green Bean (cooked)	1.8
Firm Tofu	2.7
Dried Fruits
Dried Goji Berries	6.8
Dried Apricots	2.7
Dried Raisins	2.6
Others
Dried Black Fungus	5.5
Spinach (cooked)	3.6
Amaranth (cooked)	2.3
Beetroot (cooked)	1.8

Source: United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrition Database for Standard Reference (Release 28, released September 2015)

Meat contains both heme (40%) and non-heme (60%) iron. Heme iron is readily absorbed and is not easily affected by other food, drink or medication.

Vegetables contain only non-heme iron. Its absorption is greatly increased by the presence of Vitamin C.

Meanwhile, caffeine interferes with the body's absorption of iron.