Nuts and seeds high in iron (per serving)
12 nuts and seeds ranked by iron per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Seeds, sesame seeds leads with 4.2 mg per 1 oz (23% of the Daily Value), followed by Seeds, sesame butter (2.7 mg) and Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (2.4 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 nuts and seeds highest in iron
- Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted)1 oz (28 g) · 160 kcal4.2 mg23% DV
- Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from roasted and toasted kernels (most common type))2 tbsp (30 g) · 178 kcal2.7 mg15% DV
- Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (dried)1 oz (28 g) · 158 kcal2.4 mg13% DV
- Seeds, hemp seed (hulled)1 oz (28 g) · 157 kcal2.3 mg12% DV
- Seeds, sesame seed kernels (toasted, without salt added (decorticated))1 oz (28 g) · 161 kcal2.2 mg12% DV
- Seeds, sunflower seed kernels (toasted, without salt)1 oz (28 g) · 175 kcal1.9 mg11% DV
- Nuts, cashew nuts (oil roasted, without salt added)1 oz (18 kernels) (28 g) · 164 kcal1.7 mg9.5% DV
- Nuts, cashew butter (plain, without salt added)2 tbsp (32 g) · 188 kcal1.6 mg8.9% DV
- Nuts, pine nuts (dried)1 oz (167 kernels) (28 g) · 191 kcal1.5 mg8.4% DV
- Nuts, almond butter (plain, without salt added)2 tbsp (32 g) · 196 kcal1.3 mg7.3% DV
All 12 nuts and seeds 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 | Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted) | 1 oz (28 g) | 4.2 | 14.8 | 160 | |
| 2 | Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from roasted and toasted kernels (most common type)) | 2 tbsp (30 g) | 2.7 | 8.9 | 178 | |
| 3 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (dried) | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.4 | 8.4 | 158 | |
| 4 | Seeds, hemp seed (hulled) | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.3 | 8 | 157 | |
| 5 | Seeds, sesame seed kernels (toasted, without salt added (decorticated)) | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.2 | 7.8 | 161 | |
| 6 | Seeds, sunflower seed kernels (toasted, without salt) | 1 oz (28 g) | 1.9 | 6.8 | 175 | |
| 7 | Nuts, cashew nuts (oil roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (18 kernels) (28 g) | 1.7 | 6 | 164 | |
| 8 | Nuts, cashew butter (plain, without salt added) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 1.6 | 5 | 188 | |
| 9 | Nuts, pine nuts (dried) | 1 oz (167 kernels) (28 g) | 1.5 | 5.4 | 191 | |
| 10 | Nuts, almond butter (plain, without salt added) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 1.3 | 4.1 | 196 | |
| 11 | Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts (dry roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (28 g) | 1.2 | 4.4 | 183 | |
| 12 | Nuts, pistachio nuts (dry roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (49 kernels) (28 g) | 1.1 | 4 | 162 |
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 nuts and seeds in the USDA database, Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted) has the most iron per serving: 4.2 mg per 1 oz (23% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 14.8 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 12 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
- Grains 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.