Nutrient Information: Iron, Fe

Heme iron (with higher absorption rate ~25%):
• Organ meat (such as liver)
• Lean meat
• Seafood (such as tuna, sardines, haddock, shrimp, oysters, clam)
• Poultry
• Eggs

Nonheme iron (with lower absorption rate ~16.8%):
• Beans (such as kidney beans, pinto beans), lentils, and peas
• Soy products (such as tofu)
• Nuts (such as cashews and almonds) and seeds (such as pumpkin seeds)
• Green vegetables (such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and collard greens)
• Iron-fortified breakfast cereals and breads, and whole grain
• Dried fruits (such as raisins and prunes)
• Eggs
• Meat, seafood, and poultry

For vegan diet (pure vegetarian), the key food sources of Iron are as following:
• Fortified cereals, enriched and whole grains
• Legumes, such as black-eyed peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils
• Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, turnip greens
• Dried fruits, such as apricots, prunes, raisins
Vegetarians need higher amount of iron food intake because of the lower iron bioavailability from vegetables.

The factors which can enhance nonheme iron absorption:
• Vitamin C ascorbic acid
• Meat, fish, and poultry
• Acids (citric and lactic)
• Sugars (fructose)

The factors which inhibit nonheme iron absorption:
• Phytate: in foods such as soybeans, black beans, lentils, mung beans, split peas, and unrefined rice and grains.
• Polyphenols: in foods such as tea, coffee, many grain products, and red wine.
• Calcium inhibits the absorption of both heme and nonheme iron.
• Dairy products (such as cow milk) reduce iron availability. Spacing the intake of iron-rich foods or iron supplements with dairy products for about 1 hour.

Learn more about heme iron vs nonheme iron in the article:
Heme, an Essential Nutrient from Dietary Proteins, Critically Impacts Diverse Physiological and Pathological Processes