Iron Deficiency Nutrition Guide

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Iron is an essential mineral that helps transport oxygen, support energy production, and maintain a healthy immune system. Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods can help your body absorb more iron, particularly from plant sources. Use this guide to understand your iron needs, meet them through food, and explore the role of vitamin C in supporting iron absorption.

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Daily Iron Requirements

Adult men: 8 mg per day

Adult women (19-50 years): 18 mg per day

Adult women (51+ years): 8 mg per day

Pregnant women: 27 mg per day

Breastfeeding women: 9-10 mg per day

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Daily Vitamin C Requirements

Adult men: 90 mg per day

Adult women: 75 mg per day

Pregnant women: 85 mg per day

Breastfeeding women: 120 mg per day

Smokers: Add an extra 35 mg per day to the above amounts

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Low Iron? Try This!

When iron levels drop, you may need 150-200% of the recommended daily intake (often 15-30 mg per day or more, depending on severity). Always consult with your registered dietitian to provide personalized guidance, as they may recommend supplementation alongside dietary changes.

• Focus on heme iron sources (animal-based foods) which are absorbed 2-3 times more efficiently than plant-based (non-heme) iron

• Pair non-heme iron foods with vitamin C-rich foods to enhance absorption

• Avoid coffee, tea, and calcium-rich foods around iron-rich meals, as they can inhibit absorption

• Cook in cast iron cookware to increase iron content in your meals

• Get your levels tested regularly to monitor progress

• Consider supplementation if recommended by your healthcare provider

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Iron-rich Foods

Each item shows the serving size (in cups, ounces, or tablespoons) and weight in grams. For example, beef liver (3 oz/85g) - 5.5 mg iron. This means that 3 oz of beef liver (which weighs 85 grams) contains 5.5 mg of iron.

Absorption Tip

Pair non-heme iron foods (plants, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds) with vitamin C sources (citrus, peppers, strawberries) to increase iron absorption up to 3-6×.

Red Meat Beef liver (3 oz or 85g) - 5.5 mg iron Lamb liver (3 oz or 85g) - 5.1 mg iron Lean beef, sirloin or flank (3 oz or 85g) - 2.2 mg iron Lamb (3 oz or 85g) - 1.6 mg iron Pork (3 oz or 85g) - 1.0 mg iron	Fish & Seafood Clams, cooked (3 oz or 85g) - 23.8 mg iron Oysters (3 oz or 85g) - 5.9 mg iron Sardines, canned in oil (3 oz or 85g) – 2.9 mg iron Anchovies, canned (3 oz or 85g) – 2.4 mg iron Mackerel, Atlantic, cooked (3 oz or 85g) – 1.6 mg iron Tuna, bluefin, cooked (3 oz or 85g) – 1.4 mg iron Trout, rainbow, cooked (3 oz or 85g) – 1.1 mg iron Salmon, sockeye, cooked (3 oz or 85g) – 0.9 mg iron	Vegetables Spinach, cooked (1 cup or 180g) - 6.4 mg iron Swiss chard, cooked (1 cup or 175g) - 4.0 mg iron Kale, cooked (1 cup or 130g) - 2.1 mg iron Broccoli, cooked (1 cup or 156g) - 1.1 mg iron
Poultry Chicken liver (3 oz or 85g) - 7.7 mg iron Duck (3 oz or 85g) - 2.3 mg iron Turkey thigh (3 oz or 85g) - 1.3 mg iron Turkey leg (3 oz or 85g) - 1.2 mg iron Chicken thigh (3 oz or 85g) - 1.1 mg iron Chicken leg (3 oz or 85g) - 1.1 mg iron Turkey breast (3 oz or 85g) - 0.6 mg iron Chicken breast (3 oz or 85g) - 0.5 mg iron	Legumes Soybeans, edamame (1 cup cooked or 155g) - 5.4 mg iron Lentils (1 cup cooked or 198g) - 6.5 mg iron Kidney beans (1 cup cooked or 177g) - 5.1 mg iron Chickpeas (1 cup cooked or 164g) - 4.7 mg iron Black beans (1 cup cooked or 172g) - 3.6 mg iron	Fruits Dried apricots (½ cup or 65g) - 1.8 mg iron Raisins (½ cup or 83g) - 1.6 mg iron Mulberries, dried (¼ cup or 35g) - 0.7 mg iron Prunes (½ cup or 87g) - 0.8 mg iron
Plant-based Proteins Seitan (3 oz or 85g) - 6.8 mg iron Tofu, firm (½ cup or 126g) - 6.8 mg iron Tempeh (½ cup or 83g) - 2.2 mg iron
Supplements Lucky Iron Fish - Make iron-fortified water to drink or cook with daily. Rice, oats, smoothies, & even ice can now be your source of tasteless iron (link)

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Highest-Vitamin C Foods

Each item shows the serving size (in cups, ounces, or tablespoons) and weight in grams. For example, guava (1 cup/165g) - 376 mg of vitamin C. This means that 1 cup  of guava (which weighs 165 grams) contains 376 mg of vitamin C

Fruits Guava (1 cup or 165g) - 376 mg vitamin C Kiwi (1 medium or 69g) - 64 mg vitamin C Papaya (1 cup or 145g) - 87 mg vitamin C Strawberries (1 cup or 152g) - 90 mg vitamin C Orange (1 medium or 131g) - 70 mg vitamin C	Nuts & Seeds (Naturally low in vitamin C)	Whole Grains Very low vitamin C; combine with fruits/vegetables to aid non-heme iron absorption.
Vegetables Red bell pepper, raw (1 cup or 149g) - 190 mg vitamin C Kale, raw (1 cup or 67g) - 80 mg vitamin C Broccoli, raw (1 cup or 91g) - 81 mg vitamin C Brussels sprouts, cooked (1 cup or 156g) - 97 mg vitamin C Cauliflower, raw (1 cup or 107g) - 51 mg vitamin C	Legumes Low in vitamin C but benefit from pairing with high-vitamin C foods.	Plant-based Proteins Tofu/tempeh have little vitamin C — combine with peppers, citrus, or broccoli.

Meal Ideas

	Regular Diet	For Vegans	For Lacto-ovo Vegetarians
Breakfast	1 serving citrus fruit 3/4 cup raisin bran cereal 1 egg 1 slice whole-wheat toast 1 tsp margarine	1 cup fortified bran cereal with raisins 1 cup soymilk fortified with calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D 1/2 cup strawberries	1 cup fortified bran cereal with raisins 1 cup 1% milk 1 hardboiled egg 1/2 cup strawberries
Lunch	3 oz tuna fish 2 slices whole-grain bread 1/2 cup carrots 1 medium apple 1 tsp mayonnaise 1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat milk	1 cup kidney beans 1/2 cup sweet potatoes, mashed 1/2 tablespoon margarine, soft, tub 1 cup raw broccoli 1 orange	2 slices whole wheat bread 1 black bean burger 1 cup spinach, raw 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 orange
Afternoon Snack	1 cup nonfat yogurt 1/2 cup grapes 1 pear	3 apricots, dried 11 almonds 2 tablespoons walnuts	1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt 15 grapes 2 tablespoons walnuts 11 almonds
Evening Meal	3 oz chicken 1 medium baked potato, with skin 1.5 cups mixed salad 1 tsp olive oil and vinegar dressing 1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat milk	Stir-fry made with: 1 cup tofu 1 cup brown rice 1 cup spinach, cooked 1/4 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon peanut butter	Rice bowl made with: 1 cup chickpeas 1/2 cup brown rice 1 sweet potato, boiled 1 cup tomatoes, canned 1 cup kale, sautéed 2 teaspoons sunflower oil Squeeze lime juice

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Conclusion

By incorporating a variety of iron-rich foods into your daily meals and pairing plant-based sources with vitamin C, you can naturally support your body's iron needs. If you suspect low iron or have been diagnosed with iron deficiency, work closely with your registered dietitian to create a personalized nutrition plan. Regular monitoring and potentially supplementation may be necessary depending on your individual needs. 

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