How Much Iron We Need & Some Great Vegan Sources
Because of the lower absorption rates for non-haem iron, recommended daily intakes of iron for vegans are higher than for non-vegans. A healthy daily amount of iron for adults following a plant-based diet is about 15 mg for men, and about 30 mg for women, increasing to 45 mg during pregnancy. There are many good plant-based sources of iron. These are some examples (the gramme values shown reflect typical serving sizes):
|
Food
|
Iron Per Serving
|
|---|---|
|
Lentils (cooked)
|
6.6mg per 200g
|
|
Kidney beans (cooked)
|
5.8mg per 200
|
|
Borlotti beans (cooked)
|
4.8mg per 200g
|
|
Cannellini beans (cooked)
|
6.8mg per 200g
|
|
Tofu
|
6.0mg per 100g
|
|
Chickpeas (cooked)
|
5.8mg per 200g
|
|
Sesame seeds
|
3.7mg per 25g
|
|
Chia seeds
|
1.9mg per 25g
|
|
Cashew nuts
|
3.4mg per 50g
|
|
Almonds
|
2.7mg per 50g
|
|
Spinach (cooked)
|
5.4mg per 200g
|
|
Chard (cooked)
|
4.5mg per 200g
|
|
Asparagus (cooked)
|
1.8mg per 200g
|
|
Baked potato
|
3.2mg per 300g
|
|
Black olives
|
6.4mg per 100g
|
|
Avocado
|
1.8mg per 200g
|
|
Whole wheat bread
|
2.5mg per 100g
|
|
Dried apricots
|
2.7mg per 100g
|
|
Dark chocolate
|
5.5mg per 50g
|
If you’re struggling to reach your recommended iron intake through your diet, you may want to consider taking an iron supplement. This situation is more likely to arise for women during pregnancy.
