Foods Highest in Iron

Quick answer

In our data the foods with the highest iron per 100 g are Goose Liver (49.18 mg), Duck Liver (30.5 mg), Pork Liver (17.9 mg). This ranks the 767 foods that have a iron value out of 790 relevant foods; dried foods and spices are listed separately because they are concentrated. Values come unchanged from USDA FoodData Central, UK CoFID and the Canadian Nutrient File.

Top foods by category

• Fruits: Olive, ripe (6.28 mg), 101 foods with a value
• Vegetables: Sea moss (8.9 mg), 198 foods with a value
• Nuts & Seeds: Pumpkin seeds (8.36 mg), 35 foods with a value
• Legumes: Natto (8.6 mg), 43 foods with a value
• Grains: Wheatgerm (8.08 mg), 41 foods with a value
• Meat & Poultry: Goose Liver (49.18 mg), 127 foods with a value
• Fish & Seafood: Fish, caviar (11.9 mg), 106 foods with a value
• Dairy & Eggs: Turkey Egg (4.1 mg), 83 foods with a value
• Traditional foods: Chiton (16 mg), 30 foods with a value
• Other: Peas, raw (UK record) (2.8 mg), 3 foods with a value

Full ranking: 767 foods by iron per 100 g

Dried foods and spices (ranked separately)

Coverage and limitations

• 767 of 790 relevant foods have a iron value; 23 are not ranked because the source has none.
• All amounts are per 100 g of the food as described by the source record, in mg. Preparation is shown for every row and is never merged: the same food cooked differently is a separate record.
• Ranks are positions in this dataset only. Food composition varies by variety, season and processing.
• We do not show recommended intakes or health claims on this page. It is general information and not medical advice. Read more in About our data.

Questions about iron in foods

Which food has the most iron in this dataset?

Goose Liver has the highest iron value in our ranking: 49.18 mg per 100 g (Canadian CNF record 5229). This is the highest among the 767 foods with a value, not a statement about every food in existence.

What do the numbers mean?

Each value is the amount of iron in mg per 100 g of the food as described by the source record, for the preparation shown on that row. The unit is mg.

How complete is the data for iron?

767 of the 790 relevant foods in our data have a iron value (97%). 23 have no usable value and are not ranked; a missing value is never treated as zero.

Why are dried foods and spices listed separately?

Dried foods, powders and spices are measured in a concentrated form, so they would outrank fresh foods per 100 g. We rank 101 such foods separately (the highest is Marjoram at 82.7 mg).

Where do the values come from?

One source record is used per food, in a fixed order: USDA FoodData Central (Foundation Foods, then SR Legacy), then UK CoFID, then the Canadian Nutrient File. Values are never averaged. In this ranking: USDA SR Legacy (532 foods), UK CoFID (112 foods), USDA Foundation (75 foods), Canadian CNF (48 foods).

Tools for this nutrient

• Calculate how much of a food provides a nutrient amount
• Explore food combinations for nutrient targets