A Guide to Plant-Based Iron

All the tips you need to help you better meet your iron needs. This guide includes tips and recipe ideas for improving iron intake and absorption.

What is Iron?

Iron is a mineral that is responsible for many functions throughout the body including:

• Transporting oxygen through your body
• DNA synthesis
• Energy production
• Immunity
• Some hormone production
• Growth and development

You can maintain adequate iron levels regardless of how you eat by maintaining a well-planned, balanced, and varied diet. There are many foods, including plant-based foods, that are rich in iron. This guide was developed to help you better understand iron and learn how to improve your intake and absorption of it, especially if you are a plant-based or plant-forward eater. 

Types of Iron

• Non-Heme Iron: Typically found in plant and iron-fortified foods. This type of iron tends to be absorbed at a lower rate. 
• Heme Iron: Typically found in meat, seafood, and poultry (they can also contain some levels of non-heme iron as well). This type tends to have a higher absorption rate compared to non-heme iron.

Vegetarians, vegans, and plant-forward eaters predominantly consume non-heme iron. By understanding this, you can utilize the tips below for maximizing your iron needs.

Iron Recommendations

The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) have developed recommendations for iron and other nutrients based on stages of the life cycle and gender for Americans. These recommendations are based on what is believed to be appropriate intake levels for non-vegetarians.

• Men 19-50 years old: 8 mg daily
• Women 19-50 years old: 18 mg daily
• Pregnant Women 19-50 years old: 27 mg daily
• Lactating Women 19-50 years old: 9 mg daily
• Men 51+ years old: 8 mg daily
• Women 51+ years old: 8 mg daily

Iron needs can also vary due to blood loss (including menstruation), certain medications, or digestive tract diseases that can impair absorption (including Celiac’s disease). These conditions can benefit from further guidance and help from your personal healthcare team and supervision from a well educated dietitian.

Vegetarian/Vegan Adjusted Iron Recommendations

You may notice some organizations suggest higher iron recommendations. According to the FNB, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vegetarians should be set 1.8 times higher than their non-vegetarian counterparts. To put this in perspective, an adult vegetarian woman would need to consume about 32 mg of iron daily. It is important to note that this recommendation is based on concerns of bioavailability of iron from non-heme sources.

With this in mind, monitor your iron levels through annual blood work to be safe and consider the tips below for increasing iron intake and improving it’s bioavailability.

Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency is the most commonly known nutrient deficiency. Diets low in iron may not initially result in symptoms due to the presence of iron stores in the body. However, when those stores run out, you may develop iron deficiency anemia. This results in smaller and less efficient red blood cells that carry less oxygen throughout the body.

Symptoms of iron deficiency include:

• Fatigue
• Rapid heart rate, palpitations, and rapid breathing
• Pale skin
• Brittle fingernails
• Weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Hair loss
• Impaired immunity
• Inflammation of the tongue
• Pica (compulsive desire to eat objects that are not normally considered food)
• Gastritis

Never use these symptoms as a means to self-diagnosis. You should always consult your primary healthcare provider for additional testing.

Groups vulnerable and at risk for iron deficiency include:

• Menstruating teens and women with heavy periods
• Athletes
• Pregnant women
• Infants
• Vegans/Vegetarians
• Frequent Blood Donors
• Chronic Illnesses including cancer, gastrointestinal disorders like Celiac’s Disease, heart failure, etc.
• Those eating a poor diet

If you or your primary healthcare provider is suspicious of iron deficiency, a blood panel to evaluate your iron status can be requested. These tests will examine your iron status by looking at your hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin (iron storage) values.

As mentioned, anemia is a consequence of iron deficiency. It is important to note that iron deficiency is not the only cause of anemia and may be the result of other health issues including, but not limited to, low folate and/or vitamin B12 levels.

Foods Rich in Iron

Here are the top sources of iron-rich plant-based foods. Try incorporating more options from this list to help you meet your iron recommendations

Legumes, Peas, Lentils, Soy (1 cup, cooked)	Amount of Iron
Tofu	6.8 mg
Lentils	6.6 mg
Black Beans	5.2 mg
Black-Eyed Peas	5.2 mg
Navy Beans	4.8 mg
Chickpeas	4.7 mg
Tempeh	4.5 mg
Kidney Beans	3.9 mg
Pinto Beans	3.6 mg
Edamame:	3.5 mg
Split Peas	2.5 mg

Grains (1 cup, cooked)	Amount of Iron
White Rice	2.8 mg
Brown Rice	1.1 mg
Quinoa	2.7 mg
Corn	1.1 mg
White Pasta	1.5 mg
Whole Wheat Pasta	2.0 mg
Oats	2.1 mg
Millet	1.1 mg
Wild Rice	0.9
Bulgar	1.7 mg
Buckwheat Groats	4 mg

Nuts & Seeds (1 oz)	Amount of Iron
Cashews	1.8 mg
Almonds	1 mg
Pistachios	1.2 mg
Walnuts	0.9 mg
Sunflower Seeds	2.2 mg
Pumpkin Seeds	2.3 mg
Flax Seeds (2 tbsp)	1.4 mg
Chia Seeds (1 tbsp)	1 mg
Hemp Seeds (3 tbsp)	2.3 mg

Nut & Seed Butters (2 tbsp)	Amount of Iron
Peanut Butter	0.6 mg
Almond Butter	1.3 mg
Cashew Butter	1.6 mg
Tahini	1.8 mg

Vegetables (1 cup, cooked)	Amount of Iron
Spinach	6.4 mg
Broccoli	1.1 mg
Kale	1.1 mg
Swiss Chard	4 mg
Brussels Sprouts	1.2 mg
Green Peas	2.4 mg
Beet Greens	2.7 mg
Sweet Potato	1.4 mg

Dried Fruit (1/4 cup)	Amount of Iron
Raisins	0.7 mg
Apricots	0.5 mg
Prunes	0.4 mg
Dates	0.3 mg

Miscellaneous Foods & Additions	Amount of Iron
Nutritional Yeast (2 tbsp)	1 mg
Blackstrap Molasses (1 tbsp)	3.6 mg
Tomato Paste (2 tbsp)	1 mg
Fortified Cereals (3/4 cup)	~ 8.4 mg
Prune Juice (1 cup)	3 mg
Veggie Burger (generally 1 patty)	~ 2.9 mg
Cream of Wheat (1 instant packet)	8 mg
Beyond Meat Plant-Based Grounds (4oz)	4 mg
Gardein Plant-Based Meatballs (3 meatballs)	1.9 mg
Psyllium Husk (2 tbsp)	1.7 mg

For vegans, make sure you are balancing your plate appropriately and eating enough. It may be in your best interest to consult with a dietitian that is knowledgeable of plant-based eating to help make sure you are adequately nourished.

Can You Take In Too Much Iron?

It is uncommon to reach toxic levels of iron through plant-based sources. However, taking supplements without guidance may increase risk for taking in too much. Always consult with your healthcare team before taking iron supplements!

Too much iron may cause symptoms like constipation or diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, liver dysfunction, and oxidative damage.

Iron Inhibitors

Your body’s ability to absorb the adequate amount of iron it needs from food can be impacted beyond the conditions mentioned previously. Phytates, calcium, teas and coffee, can impact your ability of absorbing iron too.

• Phytates: A non-heme iron binding nutrient found in foods like grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. This may prevent some iron from being properly absorbed.
  • Recommendation: Soaking grains, beans, nuts, and seeds in water for a few hours can remove phytates. Cooking grains and beans can further reduce their phytates.
• Calcium: Inhibits both heme and non-heme iron absorption. This can include calcium-rich sources of food/beverages and calcium supplements.
  • Recommendation: Avoid pairing calcium-rich foods and calcium supplements with iron-rich foods when possible. meals and consult your healthcare provider about recommended doses. 
• Teas and Coffee: These beverages contain polyphenols like tannins that can inhibit iron absorption. This includes coffee, cocoa, black, green and some herbal teas.
  • Recommendation: Avoid drinking coffee and tea for one hour before or after meals.

Tips for Increasing Iron Absorption

Pair Iron with Vitamin C

Vitamin C increases the bioavailability of non-heme iron even when those foods include iron inhibitors like phytates and polyphenols. Good examples may include things like

• Adding diced raw bell peppers to a burrito
• Topping a tofu bowl with red cabbage slaw
• Topping your oatmeal with some strawberries or kiwi

Include Lysine-rich Foods

L-lysine is an amino acid that is abundant in plant-based foods like legumes, peas, lentils, quinoa, and peanuts. These vegan protein sources rich in lysine actually help to improve absorption. Considering they are high in protein, L-lysine and iron, these become a really great source to focus on for maintaining good iron status.

Soaking and Sprouting

This process does help to reduce the phytate content for certain plant foods like beans and grains.

• For beans, consider soaking them in water overnight for maximum benefit.
• You can also find sprouted grain products like sprouted breads and oats and cereals at your local grocery store

This study suggests that soaking and sprouting helped to decrease phytates, which improved bioavailability of minerals like iron. 

Whole Grains vs Enriched, Refined Grains

Including a mix of both whole and refined grains has it’s advantages for iron intake. While whole grains will naturally have additional minerals available, enriched grains may have even more added to it. A good example, enriched white rice has more iron in it than brown rice!

Fortified Foods

Many breakfast cereals are fortified with extra vitamins and minerals that can help fill in difficult nutrient gaps. Iron is one of those nutrients added for the general population. As a reminder, 3/4 cup of most fortified cereals can provide at least 8 mg of iron.

If You Can, Include Soy Foods

The iron in soy foods like soybeans, edamame, tofu, and tempeh has a higher bioavailability. And if you are a fan of fermented soy like tempeh, the fermentation process actually helps make iron more available for absorption. 

Include More Iron-Rich Foods Regularly

Always eat enough and prioritize balanced and varied meals that include iron-rich foods like legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. Highly restrictive eating often seen when significantly reducing calories for weight loss can make it incredibly difficult to hit your nutrient recommendations through diet alone regardless if you are non-vegetarian.

Cooking Tools

In theory, items like cast iron pans and the Iron Fish (ingots) can be cooking tools you use that leach some iron into your food. The amount of iron made available from these tools is dependent on the acidity of the food being cooked, the cooking time, and the age of the pan or ingot. There is still limited evidence regarding the efficacy of iron-containing pots and ingots when it comes to reducing iron deficiency. 

Supplementation

Is an option that may be appropriate for vegans and non-vegans if determined to have consistently low iron status or with clinically determined anemia. Your healthcare provider should help with determining the appropriate amount and how long to prescribe this supplementation to help correct iron status. It’s important to seek out qualified medical professionals when determining needs to prevent taking doses that could be harmful.

Iron-Rich Recipes

Breakfast Ideas

• Breakfast Tostadas
• Smoky Maple Tempeh Hash Breakfast Sandwiches
• Pickled Jalapeño Edamame Toast
• Avocado Breakfast Flatbreads with Pickled White Beans
• Homemade Tofu Cream Cheese
• High-Protein Bagels
• Kale Caesar Salad Toast
• Fudgy Chocolate Baked Oats
• Chocolate Cherry Granola
• Vegan Breakfast Burritos
• High-Protein Breakfast Crumble

Lunch Ideas

• Cilantro Lime Edamame Toast with Pickled Onion Radish Salad
• Marinated Artichoke Bean Salad with Crispy Shallots
• Herby Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Marinated Zucchini
• Dan Dan Charred Cabbage Bean Salad
• Summer Smoky Tofu Lettuce Tomato Sandwich
• Marinated White Balsamic & Date Bean Salad
• Sesame Chili Cold Soba Noodle Salad
• Sun-Dried Tomato Romesco Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Marinated Cilantro Lime Bean Salad
• Charred Corn and Quinoa Salad with Jalapeño Basil Dressing
• Peanut Miso Cucumber Crunch Sandwich
• Charred Corn Couscous Salad with Lime Basil Dressing
• Crispy Rice Bowl with Hummus and Roasted Lentils
• Seared Lemon & Sumac Marinated Chickpeas

Dinner Ideas

• Crispy Tofu Cutlets with Lemon Dill Cabbage Slaw
• Marinated Lemon Dill Carrot Salad
• Hoisin Glazed Yuba and Eggplant Sandwiches
• Crispy Citrus Shredded Tofu
• Oven-Baked Crispy Black Bean Tacos
• Creamy Salsa Verde White Bean Soup
• Black Bean Smash Burgers with Creamy Toum
• Orange Chipotle Honeynut Cabbage Salad
• Whipped Caramelized Sweet Potato with Smoky Tofu Crumbles
• Sticky Ginger Tempeh with Charred Corn & Scallion Salad
• Grilled Corn Orzo Salad with Scallion Dill Dressing
• Black Bean Taquitos with Salsa Roja
• Caramelized Sweet Potato Scallion Lentils
• Charred Lemon Brothy Beans with Avocado Scallion Salsa
• Roasted Sesame Mushroom Bean Bowls
• Creamy Gochujang Black Bean Stew with Crispy Garlic
• Lemon Herb Smashed Cucumber Salad
• Chipotle Lime Black Bean Bowls

Snack Ideas

• Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal Cups
• Tofu Vegetable Pancakes
• Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
• Peanut Butter Blondies
• Nutella
• Chocolate Churro Rice Crispy Bars
• Chickpea Cookie Dough Bites

Summing It Up

Iron is an important mineral that can be met in healthy individuals that eat an adequate and varied diet that includes foods that are good sources of iron. Plant-based eaters can also hit these targets by:

• using a well planned diet that includes non-heme iron-rich plant sources
• including strategies to improve their iron absorption
• continued monitoring of their iron status through annual blood work  

There are individuals who might be at risk of iron deficiency. In these cases they should be tested and provided support to help improve iron intake and absorption. While some groups may be at risk, it is important to stress the numerous plant-based foods that are rich in iron. Focusing on including foods like legumes, chickpeas, lentils, peas, whole grains, nuts and seeds regularly can be really helpful to improve iron intake. To help improve absorption, it might be in your best interest to utilize methods like including vitamin C rich foods at main meals and including ways to reduce iron inhibitors as best as possible.  

For further reading and more in depth discussion on Iron, I recommend the Iron Part I and Part 2 articles written by Vegan Health.

Resources

Click for citations

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Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc : a Report of the Panel on Micronutrients. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2001.

Geerligs PD, Brabin BJ, Omari AA. Food prepared in iron cooking pots as an intervention for reducing iron deficiency anaemia in developing countries: a systematic review. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2003 Aug;16(4):275-81. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-277x.2003.00447.x. PMID: 12859709.

Alves C, Saleh A, Alaofè H. Iron-containing cookware for the reduction of iron deficiency anemia among children and females of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2019;14(9):e0221094. Published 2019 Sep 3. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221094

Luo Y, Xie W. Effect of soaking and sprouting on iron and zinc availability in green and white faba bean (Vicia faba L.). J Food Sci Technol. 2014;51(12):3970-3976. doi:10.1007/s13197-012-0921-7

Shi Z, Hu X, Yuan B, et al. Strong negative association between intake of tofu and anemia among Chinese adults in Jiangsu, China. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(7):1146-1153. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.04.036

Bo Lönnerdal, Annika Bryant, Xiaofeng Liu, Elizabeth C Theil, Iron absorption from soybean ferritin in nonanemic women, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 83, Issue 1, January 2006, Pages 103–107, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/83.1.103

Platel K, Srinivasan K. Bioavailability of Micronutrients from Plant Foods: An Update. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(10):1608-1619. doi:10.1080/10408398.2013.781011

Li L, Zhong W, Kong H, Sun J, Zhang X, Su Y. Evaluation of the Effect of Sprout Soybeans on the Iron Status of Anemic Adolescent Girls in Rural China. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2019;74(1):28-33. doi:10.1007/s11130-018-0697-7Cook JD,

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