Iron and Vitamin C Dietary Sources
Dietary Sources of Iron
Food Sources of Iron ranked by milligrams of iron per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 10% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for teenage and adult females, which is 18 mg/day.)
| Food, Standard Amount | Iron (mg) | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Clams, canned, drained, 3 oz | 23.8 | 126 |
| *Fortified dry cereals (various), about 1 oz | 1.8 to 21.1 | 54 to 127 |
| Cooked oysters, cooked, 3 oz | 10.2 | 116 |
| Organ meats (liver, giblets), cooked, 3 oza | 5.2 to 9.9 | 134 to 235 |
| *Fortified instant cooked cereals (various), 1 packet | 4.9 to 8.1 | Varies |
| *Soybeans, mature, cooked, ½ cup | 4.4 | 149 |
| *Pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, 1 oz | 4.2 | 148 |
| *White beans, canned, ½ cup | 3.9 | 153 |
| *Blackstrap molasses, 1 Tbsp | 3.5 | 47 |
| *Lentils, cooked, ½ cup | 3.3 | 115 |
| *Spinach, cooked from fresh, ½ cup | 3.2 | 21 |
| Beef, chuck, blade roast, cooked, 3 oz | 3.1 | 215 |
| Beef, bottom round, cooked, 3 oz | 2.8 | 182 |
| *Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup | 2.6 | 112 |
| Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 3 oz | 2.5 | 177 |
| Beef, rib, cooked, 3 oz | 2.4 | 195 |
| *Chickpeas, cooked, ½ cup | 2.4 | 134 |
| Duck, meat only, roasted, 3 oz | 2.3 | 171 |
| Lamb, shoulder, cooked, 3 oz | 2.3 | 237 |
| *Prune juice, ¾ cup | 2.3 | 136 |
| Shrimp, canned, 3 oz | 2.3 | 102 |
| *Cowpeas, cooked, ½ cup | 2.2 | 100 |
| Ground beef, 15% fat, cooked, 3 oz | 2.2 | 212 |
| *Tomato puree, ½ cup | 2.2 | 48 |
| *Lima beans, cooked, ½ cup | 2.2 | 108 |
| *Soybeans, green, cooked, ½ cup | 2.2 | 127 |
| *Navy beans, cooked, ½ cup | 2.1 | 127 |
| *Refried beans, ½ cup | 2.1 | 118 |
| Beef, top sirloin, cooked, 3 oz | 2.0 | 156 |
| *Tomato paste, ¼ cup | 2.0 | 54 |
Food Sources of iron are ranked by milligrams of iron per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 10% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for teenage and adult females, which is 18 mg/day.)
aHigh in cholesterol.
*These are non-heme iron sources. To improve absorption, eat these with a vitamin-C rich food.
Nutrient values from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17. Foods are from ARS single nutrient reports, sorted in descending order by nutrient content in terms of common household measures. Food items and weights in the single nutrient reports are adapted from those in the 2002 revision of USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 72, Nutritive Value of Foods. Mixed dishes and multiple preparations of the same food item have been omitted from this table.
Dietary Sources of Vitamin C
| Food, Standard Amount | Vitamin C (mg) | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Guava, raw, ½ cup | 188 | 56 |
| Red bell pepper, raw, ½ cup | 142 | 20 |
| Red bell pepper, cooked, ½ cup | 116 | 19 |
| Kiwi fruit, 1 medium | 70 | 46 |
| Orange, raw, 1 medium | 70 | 62 |
| Orange juice, ¾ cup | 61 to 93 | 79 to 84 |
| Green bell pepper, raw, ½ cup | 60 | 15 |
| Green bell pepper, cooked, ½ cup | 51 | 19 |
| Grapefruit juice, ¾ cup | 50 to 70 | 71 to 86 |
| Vegetable juice cocktail, ¾ cup | 50 | 34 |
| Strawberries, raw, ½ cup | 49 | 27 |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked, ½ cup | 48 | 28 |
| Cantaloupe, ¼ medium | 47 | 51 |
| Papaya, raw, ¼ medium | 47 | 30 |
| Kohlrabi, cooked, ½ cup | 45 | 24 |
| Broccoli, raw, ½ cup | 39 | 15 |
| Edible pod peas, cooked, ½ cup | 38 | 34 |
| Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup | 37 | 26 |
| Sweet potato, canned, ½ cup | 34 | 116 |
| Tomato juice, ¾ cup | 33 | 31 |
| Cauliflower, cooked, ½ cup | 28 | 17 |
| Pineapple, raw, ½ cup | 28 | 37 |
| Kale, cooked, ½ cup | 27 | 18 |
| Mango, ½ cup | 23 | 54 |
Food sources of vitamin C are ranked by milligrams (mg) of vitamin C per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 20% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 90 mg/day for adult men.)
Nutrient values from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17. Foods are from ARS single nutrient reports, sorted in descending order by nutrient content in terms of common household measures.
Food items and weights in the single nutrient reports are adapted from those in the 2002 revision of USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 72, Nutritive Value of Foods. Mixed dishes and multiple preparations of the same food item have been omitted from this table.
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