Getting Enough Iron

Overview

What is the recommended daily amount of iron?

The recommended daily amount of iron varies. Most people need the following amount of iron each day.^{footnote 1}

Recommended daily amount of iron from food

Group	Age	Amount of daily iron
Adults	Ages 19 and older Ages 19 to 50 (who menstruate)	8 mg. 18 mg.
Pregnant	Ages 14 to 50	27 mg.
Lactating	Ages 14 to 18 Ages 19 to 50	10 mg. 9 mg.
Adolescents	Ages 9 to 13 Ages 14 to 18 Ages 14 to 18 (who menstruate)	8 mg. 11 mg. 15 mg.
Children	Ages 1 to 3 Ages 4 to 8	7 mg. 10 mg.
Infants	Birth to 6 months 7 to 12 months	0.27 mg. 11 mg.

What foods are high in iron?

The foods you eat contain nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. Iron is a nutrient. Your body needs the right amount to stay healthy and work as it should. You can use the list below to help you make choices about which foods to eat.

Here are some foods that contain iron. They have 1 to 2 milligrams of iron per serving.

Fruits

• Figs (dried), 5 figs

Vegetables

• Asparagus (canned), 6 spears
• Collard, beet, Swiss chard, or turnip greens, 1 cup
• Dried peas, cooked, ½ cup
• Seaweed, spirulina (dried), ¼ cup
• Spinach, (cooked) ½ cup or (raw) 1 cup

Grains

• Cereals, fortified with iron, 1 cup
• Grits (instant, cooked), fortified with iron, ½ cup

Meats and other protein foods

• Beans (kidney, lima, navy, white), canned or cooked, ½ cup
• Beef or lamb, 3 oz
• Chicken giblets, 3 oz
• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), ½ cup
• Liver of beef, lamb, or pork, 3 oz
• Oysters (cooked), 3 oz
• Sardines (canned), 3 oz
• Soybeans (boiled), ½ cup
• Tofu (firm), ½ cup

Work with your doctor to find out how much of this nutrient you need. Depending on your health, you may need more or less of it in your diet.