20 Foods With More Iron Than Spinach

Twenty foods contain more iron per 100 grams than spinach, which has 2.71 mg of iron per 100 g. The highest iron content is found in sesame seeds at 14.60 mg, followed by pumpkin seeds at 8.80 mg and hemp seeds at 7.95 mg.

This article presents a ranked list of foods that provide more iron than spinach, measured per 100 grams. Spinach is often considered a good source of iron, but several other foods surpass it significantly.

Foods With More Iron Than Spinach

Below is the ranked table of 20 foods with higher iron content than spinach.

All values are per 100 grams (about 3.5 oz), the standard basis for comparing foods gram for gram.

#	Food	Iron (per 100 g)	% Daily Value	% More Than spinach
1	Sesame Seeds	14.60 mg	81%	439%
2	Pumpkin Seeds	8.80 mg	49%	225%
3	Hemp Seeds	7.95 mg	44%	193%
4	Chia Seeds	7.70 mg	43%	184%
5	Cashew	6.70 mg	37%	147%
6	Seitan	5.20 mg	29%	92%
7	Soybeans	5.14 mg	29%	90%
8	Cannellini Beans	3.70 mg	21%	37%
9	White Bread	3.60 mg	20%	33%
10	Bagel	3.60 mg	20%	33%
11	Flour Tortilla	3.60 mg	20%	33%
12	Pita Bread	3.50 mg	19%	29%
13	Sourdough Bread	3.40 mg	19%	25%
14	English Muffin	3.40 mg	19%	25%
15	Lentils	3.30 mg	18%	22%
16	Naan	3.30 mg	18%	22%
17	Multigrain Bread	3.00 mg	17%	11%
18	Kidney Beans	2.94 mg	16%	8%
19	Chickpeas	2.89 mg	16%	7%
20	Rye Bread	2.80 mg	16%	3%

For reference, spinach has 2.71 mg of iron per 100 g, about 15% of the Daily Value (18 mg).

Track Your Iron Intake

Knowing which foods are richest in iron only helps if you log what you actually eat. Nutrola identifies food from a photo, barcode or voice entry and returns the calories, macros and key nutrients, so you can see your iron intake add up across the day instead of guessing. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

Sources and Method

Iron values are from the USDA FoodData Central database, expressed per 100 grams of the food as commonly eaten. Foods are included only when their per-100-gram iron content is higher than that of spinach (2.71 mg), and ranked highest first. Percent Daily Value uses the US reference intake of 18 mg. Values vary with variety, growing conditions and preparation. This is educational and not medical advice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What food has the most iron?

The food with the most iron is sesame seeds, which contain 14.60 mg of iron per 100 grams.

Does spinach have a lot of iron?

Spinach has 2.71 mg of iron per 100 grams, which is 15% of the Daily Value based on a requirement of 18 mg.

How much iron do you need per day?

The average adult needs 18 mg of iron per day, which can vary based on age and gender.

Are these iron values per 100 grams or per serving?

The iron values provided are per 100 grams, ensuring a consistent comparison across all foods listed.

Key Takeaways

• Spinach contains 2.71 mg of iron per 100 g.
• Sesame seeds have the highest iron content at 14.60 mg per 100 g.
• Pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds also provide significant amounts of iron.
• Twenty foods surpass the iron content of spinach.