Iron is mostly found in red blood cells and helps in transportation of oxygen throughout the body. It is the main component in hemoglobin, the protein that gives color to the blood. Dietary iron is of two types, namely, heme iron, normally found in animal foods and non-heme iron that is found in plant foods. Non-heme iron is added to foods that are fortified or enriched with iron. A person can enhance his physical and mental health by eating iron enriched foods. Let’s know more about various iron enriched foods and their iron content.
Iron Enriched Foods: Animal Products
As stated earlier, heme iron can be found in animal products like red meat, poultry, etc. A table containing their nutritional value per 100g is as given below:
Food
Iron Content (mg)
Chicken liver, cooked
8.5
Chicken leg, meat only, roasted
1.3
Chicken breast, roasted
1.1
Turkey, white meat, roasted
1.6
Turkey, dark meat, roasted
2.3
Beef liver, cooked
6.3
Beef, roasted
3.5
Lamb beef, cooked
2.2
Pork, broiled
0.8
Iron Enriched Foods: Seafood
Fish like halibut, tuna etc. and other seafood like crabs, shrimps, oysters, clams, etc. have rich iron content. Per 100g of seafood will contain iron content as shown in the table below:
Food
Iron Content (mg)
Oysters, fried, 6 pieces
4.5
Oysters, cooked
8.5
Oysters, raw
5.4
Lake Trout, broiled
4.5
Halibut, cooked, dry heat
0.9
Tuna, cooked
1.1
Tuna, white, canned in water
0.8
Crab, Blue crab, cooked
0.8
Iron Enriched Foods: Vegetables
As mentioned earlier, vegetables contain non-heme iron. So, vegetarians need not worry about their iron intake, as vegetables are an excellent source of iron. In fact, vegetarians have a wide variety of iron rich vegetables to choose from. Beetroot has very high content of iron and helps in the production of hemoglobin. It can be taken in the form of salads and also beet juice. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek – a native of India, turnip greens,etc. have ample amounts of iron in them.
Food
Amount
Iron Content (mg)
Spinach, cooked
1 cup
6.4
Broccoli, cooked
1 cup
1.1
Green peas, cooked
1 cup
2.5
Beet greens
1 cup
2.7
Potato
1 large
3.2
Other vegetables that contain iron are asparagus, green beans, parsley, kale cabbage, watercress, and carrots.
Foods Enriched with Iron: Fruits and Fruit Juices
Fruits and fruit juices contain iron. Kids, who don’t eat fruits, can be given fruit juices to ensure that they consume iron rich food. The information provided in the table below may help you to choose the fruit or fruit juice accordingly.
Food
Serving
Iron Content (mg)
Mango
1 cup, 5-6 slices
0.22
Oranges
1 cup, 8-10 sections
0.19
Papaya
1 cup, 10-15 cubes
0.15
Apple, with skin
1 cup, 5 slices
0.14
Apple juice
1 cup or 250 ml
0.92
Banana, mashed
1 cup, 2 bananas
0.60
Muskmelon
1 cup, 15-20 cubes
0.34
Figs
1 fig
0.20
Gooseberries
1 cup, 5-6 nos.
0.47
Other fruits and fruit juices rich in iron are jack fruit, watermelon, grapes (both black and green), and grapefruit (white).
Iron Enriched Foods: Legumes and Soy Foods
Legumes and soy foods have rich iron content in them. Each half cup of cooked legumes or soy products contains iron content as shown below.
Food
Iron Content (mg)
Lentils
3.2
Kidney beans
1.5
Black beans
2.6
Pinto beans
2.3
Lima beans
2.3
Tofu
6.6
Soybeans
4.4
Soy milk
0.9
Iron Enriched Foods: Dry Fruits and Nuts/Seeds
Dry fruits and nuts/seeds are rich in iron. Including these foods containing iron in your diet, is one way of ensuring good health. Iron content in around two tablespoons (30ml) of the following dry fruits and nuts/seeds is as follows:
Food
Iron Content (mg)
Dried fig
2.1
Raisins
1.5
Sunflower seeds
1.2
Dried apricot
1.7
Dates
1.55
Cashew nuts
1.1
Sesame
1.1
Pumpkin seeds
2.6
Other foods fortified or enriched with iron are grains and cereals like bajra, cornflakes, oatmeal, rice flakes etc., spices like turmeric and pulses like cowpeas, chickpeas, green and yellow split-peas. Read more on foods rich in iron.
Including iron enriched foods in your diet will help boost your immune system. As the old adage goes “Health is Wealth”, it is necessary to eat healthy in order to live healthy.
