Foods high in iron

Iron is a mineral needed to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. Foods near the top of this list include dried wood ear mushrooms, cockles bottled in vinegar and drained, boiled cockles and dried shrimps. The list ranks foods by their iron content per 100g, rather than by the amount usually eaten.

Typical portion sizes therefore matter when comparing these foods, particularly dried ingredients that may be used in small quantities. The body generally absorbs iron from animal foods more readily than iron from plant foods. Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron from plant sources. Full nutrient figures are provided in the tables below.