Getting Enough Iron
How much dietary iron is recommended each day?
Recommended daily amounts of iron from food
1
| Men |
Adult
|
8 mg
|
| Women |
Adult (age 50 and
older)
|
8 mg
|
|
Adult (ages 19 to 50)
|
18 mg
|
|
Pregnant
|
27 mg
|
|
Lactating
|
9 mg to
10 mg
|
| Adolescents (ages 9 to
18) |
Girls
|
8 mg to
15 mg
|
|
Boys
|
8 mg to
11 mg
|
| Children (birth to age
8) |
Ages 4 to 8
|
10 mg
|
|
Ages 1 to 3
|
7 mg
|
|
Infants (7 months to 1 year)
|
11 mg
|
|
Infants (birth to 6 months)
|
0.27 mg
|
What foods are high in iron?
You can get iron from many types of food made from animals and plants. Beef and turkey are good sources of iron from meats. Beans are good sources of iron from plants.
Iron-fortified foods includes cereals.
Meat and poultry
2
| | Serving size | Iron (mg) |
|
Beef (ground)
|
3 oz
|
2 mg
|
|
Chicken
|
3 oz
|
1 mg
|
|
Turkey
|
3 oz
|
1 mg–2 mg
|
Fruits and vegetables
2
| | Serving size | Iron (mg) |
|
Beans (cooked or canned)
|
1 cup
|
1 mg–5 mg
|
|
Potato (baked)
|
1 medium
|
2 mg
|
|
Raisins
|
1 cup
|
3 mg
|
|
Spinach (cooked)
|
1 cup
|
6 mg
|
Cereals and grains
2
| | Serving size | Iron (mg) |
|
Cereals (iron-fortified, ready to eat)
|
1 cup
|
4 mg–18 mg
|
|
Oatmeal (instant)
|
1 cup
|
4 mg
|
|
Rice (white, enriched)
|
1 cup
|
3 mg
|
Citations
-
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine (2011). Dietary reference intakes (DRIs): Recommended dietary allowances and adequate intakes, elements. Available online: http://iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/New%20Material/2_%20RDA%20and%20AI%20Values_Vitamin%20and%20Elements.pdf.
-
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (2012). Nutrient data laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 25. Available online: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov.
|
By
| Healthwise Staff |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
| Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
| Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator |
|
Last Revised
| January 25, 2013 |
Last Revised:
January 25, 2013
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine (2011). Dietary reference intakes (DRIs): Recommended dietary allowances and adequate intakes, elements. Available online: http://iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/New%20Material/2_%20RDA%20and%20AI%20Values_Vitamin%20and%20Elements.pdf.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (2012). Nutrient data laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 25. Available online: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov.
