Healthdirect Free Australian health advice you can count on.

Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately

healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.

beginning of content

Foods high in iron

3-minute read

Iron is a nutrient needed for many functions of the body, such as making haemoglobin in red blood cells, which transports oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. While it can store iron, your body can't make it. The only way to get iron is from food.

Iron-rich foods

There are 2 types of iron in food: haem and non-haem. Haem iron, found in meat, poultry and seafood, is absorbed more effectively than non-haem iron, which is found in eggs and plant foods.

Animal-based sources of iron

Top animal-based sources of iron include:

  • red meats (beef, lamb, veal, pork, kangaroo). The redder the meat, the higher it is in iron
  • offal (liver, kidney, pate)
  • poultry
  • fish or shellfish (salmon, sardines, tuna)
  • eggs

Plant-based sources of iron

Plant foods containing non-haem iron can still provide an adequate amount of iron for the body. Good sources include:

  • nuts
  • dried fruit
  • wholemeal pasta and bread
  • iron-fortified bread and breakfast cereal
  • legumes (mixed beans, baked beans, lentils, chickpeas)
  • dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, silver beet, broccoli)
  • oats
  • tofu

How much iron do I need?

Your recommended daily intake (RDI) of iron depends on your age and sex:

  • Children aged 1-3 years — 9 milligrams (mg)
  • Children 4-8 — 10mg

  • Boys 9-13 — 8mg
  • Boys 14-18 — 11mg

  • Girls 9-13 — 8mg
  • Girls 14-18 — 15mg

  • Men aged over 19 — 8mg
  • Women aged 19-50 — 18mg
  • Women 51+ — 8mg
  • Pregnant women — 27mg
  • Women breastfeeding exclusively — 9-10mg

Women need more iron to replace the amount lost in blood during menstruation. Until menopause, women need about twice as much iron as men.

Iron deficiency occurs when the iron levels are too low, which can lead to anaemia. If you are worried you have an iron deficiency, your doctor may order some blood tests and may suggest iron supplements. You should always speak to your doctor before you take iron supplements as you could poison yourself if you take too much.

Need help getting enough iron?

Click on this infographic to ensure you get an adequate iron intake from a balanced diet.

Learn how much iron you need each day, which foods are the best sources of iron and how to incorporate them in your diet.

How to improve iron absorption from food

How you prepare food, and which foods you eat together, can affect how much iron your body absorbs.

For example, foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, kiwi fruit, melons, green leafy vegetables and capsicum can help you absorb more iron if you eat them at the same time as iron-rich foods. Add them raw to your plate, drink unsweetened orange juice with your meal, or take a vitamin C supplement.

Coffee, tea and red wine (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), on the other hand, can reduce iron absorption. Calcium-rich foods, calcium supplements and some soybean-based foods can also inhibit iron absorption.

It’s better to have coffee, tea, red wine and dairy foods in between meals.

Can you have too much iron?

In healthy people, the body regulates how much iron it absorbs from food and supplements — so it’s difficult to have ‘too much’ iron in your diet.

However, some people have a genetic condition called haemochromatosis, which causes the body to absorb excess iron. The normal level of iron in the body is 3 to 4 grams, but in people with haemochromatosis it can be more than 20g.

About 1 person in every 300 has haemochromatosis, and it’s usually picked up through screening people who have a close relative with the condition.

Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your iron levels.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: January 2021


Back To Top

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Top results

Iron deficiency anaemia - MyDr.com.au

Iron deficiency anaemia is when lack of iron means that the blood does not produce enough haemoglobin. A prolonged deficiency will produce anaemia.

Read more on myDr website

Iron deficiency anaemia in children - MyDr.com.au

Many children do not get enough iron from their diet to meet the demands of their growing bodies. This can result in low body iron and eventually iron deficiency anaemia (low haemoglobin).

Read more on myDr website

Iron studies - Pathology Tests Explained

Why and when to get tested for iron studies

Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website

Iron deficiency | Lifeblood

Iron is a mineral nutrient that’s essential for your body to function normally and to make haemoglobin (Hb). If you have iron deficiency, it’s treated by iron replacement therapy and the need for a transfusion is rare.

Read more on Australian Red Cross Lifeblood website

Red cell indices - Pathology Tests Explained

These are measurements or calculations related to red blood cell count (RBC) and are components of the full blood count (FBC), a commonly requested test used for a variety of purposes

Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website

Iron intake for vegetarians - MyDr.com.au

Iron deficiency can be a nutritional problem for vegetarians, especially women. Find out about iron in food and how to enhance your iron absorption.

Read more on myDr website

Iron and iron deficiency - Better Health Channel

Iron is important for transporting oxygen in the blood.

Read more on Better Health Channel website

Dietary iron makes healthy bodies | Dietitians Australia

Find out why iron is an essential nutrient for your wellbeing. And how you can make sure your diet gives you the iron you need to live a healthy life.

Read more on Dietitians Australia website

Zinc protoporphyrin - Pathology Tests Explained

Why ZPP is tested, when to get testing and the interprtation of the results

Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website

Iron - Pathology Tests Explained

Why and when to get tested for iron

Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website

Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline

24 hour health advice you can count on

1800 022 222

Government Accredited with over 140 information partners

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice

Australian Government, health department logo ACT Government logo New South Wales government, health department logo Northen Territory Government logo Government of South Australia, health department logo Tasmanian government logo Victorian government logo Government of Western Australia, health department logo

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.