150 foods in the USDA FoodData Central database carry measurable Iron content. The FDA Daily Value for Iron is 18mg, which means every food on this list can be scaled back to a percent-DV figure for an adult on a 2,000-calorie diet. The current number-one food clocks in at 124mg per serving, 687% of the daily reference value in a single portion. That kind of concentration is rare and tells you which foods act as genuine Iron drivers rather than marginal contributors.

Stepping back from individual foods, the data clusters into 14 food categories with measurable Iron. Spices and Herbs leads with 25 qualifying foods at an average of 44.3mg per serving, followed by Baby Foods (18 foods, avg 43.7mg). Category breakdowns matter because they reveal whether the nutrient is concentrated in one food family, where a single good choice moves the needle, or dispersed, where daily intake depends on variety across meals.

Critical for oxygen transport in blood and energy metabolism. All values in this ranking come from USDA laboratory analysis and manufacturer-reported label data, normalized to per-serving so you can compare foods on equal footing. Click any food to see its full FDA-format nutrition label with macros, vitamins, and minerals, or jump to related nutrient rankings to see which foods dominate other daily value categories. For interpretation context, the nutrition guides explain how to balance % DV across a full day and why nutrient density, not just absolute amount, drives healthier food choices.