USDA-derived rankings
Dairy-free foods high in iron
Iron carries oxygen in your blood; low iron means tiredness, and women lose enough monthly to need nearly double the male amount.
Who this is for: Useful for women with heavy periods, endurance runners, blood donors, and anyone eating little or no meat.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. Ranked per typical serving against the fixed adult reference of 8.7 mg a day.
The clear number one
Oysters
One serving (85g) gives you 7.8 mg of iron, around 90% of the daily reference in one go.
See the full nutrition score for oystersThe ranking
Ranked by what a typical serving covers, because nobody eats 100g of everything. The badge shows per-100g density: high means at least 30% of the daily reference per 100g, source means at least 15%.
| # | Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oysters | 7.8 mg90% of daily reference | 9.2 mghigh |
| 2 | Mussels | 6.7 mg77% of daily reference | 6.7 mghigh |
| 3 | Lentils (cooked) | 6.5 mg75% of daily reference | 3.3 mghigh |
| 4 | Duck Breast | 6.3 mg72% of daily reference | 4.5 mghigh |
| 5 | Beef Liver | 5.6 mg64% of daily reference | 6.5 mghigh |
| 6 | Cannellini Beans | 4.8 mg55% of daily reference | 3.7 mghigh |
| 7 | Chickpeas (cooked) | 4.8 mg55% of daily reference | 2.9 mghigh |
| 8 | Soybeans | 4.6 mg53% of daily reference | 5.1 mghigh |
| 9 | Red Lentils | 4.4 mg51% of daily reference | 7.4 mghigh |
| 10 | Ribeye Steak | 4 mg46% of daily reference | 2.7 mghigh |
| 11 | Kidney Beans | 3.8 mg44% of daily reference | 2.9 mghigh |
| 12 | Bagel | 3.7 mg43% of daily reference | 3.6 mghigh |
| 13 | Black Beans (cooked) | 3.6 mg42% of daily reference | 2.1 mgsource |
| 14 | Butter Beans | 3.1 mg36% of daily reference | 2.4 mgsource |
| 15 | Beef (Mince / Steak) | 2.9 mg34% of daily reference | 2.6 mgsource |
| 16 | Sirloin Steak | 2.8 mg32% of daily reference | 1.9 mgsource |
| 17 | Quinoa (cooked) | 2.8 mg32% of daily reference | 1.5 mgsource |
| 18 | Pinto Beans | 2.7 mg31% of daily reference | 2.1 mgsource |
| 19 | Tempeh | 2.7 mg31% of daily reference | 2.7 mghigh |
| 20 | Sardines (canned) | 2.7 mg31% of daily reference | 2.9 mghigh |
Anything tagged as containing dairy is excluded.
Plant iron absorbs better alongside vitamin C in the same meal.
Narrow it to your way of eating
How this list is built
Every number comes from Nutrigate's USDA-derived generic food table, the same data behind the food nutrition scores. The daily reference for iron is 8.7 mg, an evidence-based adult amount; the app personalises it to you. Serving sizes are typical household portions, shown in grams so you can judge them.