Grains high in iron (per serving)
17 grains ranked by iron per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Teff, cooked leads with 5.2 mg per 1 cup (29% of the Daily Value), followed by Cereals, oats (3.4 mg) and Spelt, cooked (3.2 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 grains highest in iron
- Teff, cooked1 cup (252 g) · 255 kcal5.2 mg29% DV
- Cereals, oats (regular and quick, not fortified, dry)1 cup (81 g) · 307 kcal3.4 mg19% DV
- Spelt, cooked1 cup (194 g) · 246 kcal3.2 mg18% DV
- Wheat, KAMUT khorasan (cooked)1 cup (172 g) · 227 kcal3 mg17% DV
- Quinoa, cooked1 cup (185 g) · 222 kcal2.8 mg15% DV
- Barley, pearled (cooked)1 cup (157 g) · 193 kcal2.1 mg12% DV
- Pasta, whole-wheat (cooked)1 cup spaghetti not packed (117 g) · 174 kcal2 mg11% DV
- Bulgur, cooked1 cup (182 g) · 151 kcal1.7 mg9.7% DV
- Spaghetti, spinach (cooked)1 cup (140 g) · 182 kcal1.5 mg8.1% DV
- Buckwheat groats, roasted (cooked)1 cup (168 g) · 155 kcal1.3 mg7.5% DV
All 17 grains ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). %DV is based on the FDA Daily Value of 18 mg.
| # | Food | Serving | Iron (mg) | % Daily Value | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teff, cooked | 1 cup (252 g) | 5.2 | 2 | 255 | |
| 2 | Cereals, oats (regular and quick, not fortified, dry) | 1 cup (81 g) | 3.4 | 4.2 | 307 | |
| 3 | Spelt, cooked | 1 cup (194 g) | 3.2 | 1.7 | 246 | |
| 4 | Wheat, KAMUT khorasan (cooked) | 1 cup (172 g) | 3 | 1.8 | 227 | |
| 5 | Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup (185 g) | 2.8 | 1.5 | 222 | |
| 6 | Barley, pearled (cooked) | 1 cup (157 g) | 2.1 | 1.3 | 193 | |
| 7 | Pasta, whole-wheat (cooked) | 1 cup spaghetti not packed (117 g) | 2 | 1.7 | 174 | |
| 8 | Bulgur, cooked | 1 cup (182 g) | 1.7 | 1 | 151 | |
| 9 | Spaghetti, spinach (cooked) | 1 cup (140 g) | 1.5 | 1 | 182 | |
| 10 | Buckwheat groats, roasted (cooked) | 1 cup (168 g) | 1.3 | 0.8 | 155 | |
| 11 | Rice, brown (long-grain, cooked) | 1 cup (202 g) | 1.1 | 0.6 | 248 | |
| 12 | Millet, cooked | 1 cup (174 g) | 1.1 | 0.6 | 207 | |
| 13 | Wild rice, cooked | 1 cup (164 g) | 1 | 0.6 | 166 | |
| 14 | Noodles, japanese (somen, cooked) | 1 cup (176 g) | 0.9 | 0.5 | 231 | |
| 15 | Couscous, cooked | 1 cup, cooked (157 g) | 0.6 | 0.4 | 176 | |
| 16 | Pasta, gluten-free (corn, cooked) | 1 cup (140 g) | 0.3 | 0.2 | 176 | |
| 17 | Rice noodles, cooked | 1 cup (176 g) | 0.2 | 0.1 | 190 |
Iron in specific foods
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for iron is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in iron?
Among grains in the USDA database, Teff, cooked has the most iron per serving: 5.2 mg per 1 cup (29% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 2 mg.
How much iron do I need per day?
The FDA Daily Value used on Nutrition Facts labels is 18 mg of iron for adults and children aged 4 and over. Individual needs vary with age, sex, pregnancy and health conditions.
What counts as a food high in iron?
FDA labeling rules call a food a 'good source' when one serving provides 10 to 19% of the Daily Value and 'high' or 'excellent' at 20% or more. 1 of the 17 foods on this list reach 20% DV per serving.
Related rankings
- Foods high in potassium
- Foods high in magnesium
- Foods high in calcium
- Foods high in zinc
- Foods high in selenium
- Foods high in copper
- All foods high in iron
- Fruits high in iron
- Vegetables high in iron
- Legumes high in iron
- Nuts and seeds high in iron
- Fish and seafood high in iron
- Meat and poultry high in iron
- Dairy and eggs high in iron
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.