Nutrient ranking
Foods highest in iron
Of 6,910 foods with a reported iron value in USDA FoodData Central, Spices, thyme, dried has the most, at 124 mg per 100 g (689% of the 18 mg Daily Value). The 10th-ranked food has 53.9 mg. Rankings are by weight, so dried and concentrated foods often rank high.
Values per 100 g of food as listed in USDA FoodData Central.
About this list
This list only sorts USDA values; it does not rate foods as healthy or unhealthy. A food high in one nutrient can also be high in sodium, saturated fat or calories, so open each food to see its full data. Data is from the Foundation Foods release of Apr 30, 2026 and SR Legacy (April 2018).
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Top 3 in each food group
Grouped by USDA food category, iron per 100 g.
Cereal Grains and Pasta
- Rice bran, crude — 18.5 mg
- Sorghum bran, white, unenriched, dry, raw — 14.2 mg
- Wheat bran, crude — 10.6 mg
Fruits and Fruit Juices
- Baobab powder — 8.4 mg
- Goji berries, dried — 6.8 mg
- Apricots, dehydrated (low-moisture), sulfured, uncooked — 6.3 mg
Nut and Seed Products
- Seeds, sesame butter, paste — 19.2 mg
- Seeds, sesame flour, high-fat — 15.2 mg
- Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted — 14.8 mg
Poultry Products
- Duck, domesticated, liver, raw — 30.5 mg
- Goose, liver, raw — 30.5 mg
- Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, pan-fried — 12.9 mg
Sausages and Luncheon Meats
- Braunschweiger (a liver sausage), pork — 11.2 mg
- Liver cheese, pork — 10.8 mg
- Oscar Mayer, Braunschweiger Liver Sausage (sliced) — 10.5 mg
Snacks
- Snacks, crisped rice bar, almond — 6.4 mg
- Snacks, crisped rice bar, chocolate chip — 6.3 mg
- Milk and cereal bar — 6 mg
Soups, Sauces, and Gravies
- Gravy, instant turkey, dry — 9.6 mg
- Gravy, au jus, dry — 9.3 mg
- Gravy, brown instant, dry — 7.4 mg
Spices and Herbs
- Spices, thyme, dried — 124 mg
- Spices, basil, dried — 89.8 mg
- Spearmint, dried — 87.5 mg
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
- Parsley, freeze-dried — 53.9 mg
- Seaweed, spirulina, dried — 28.5 mg
- Seaweed, agar, dried — 21.4 mg
How % Daily Value is figured
Percent Daily Value compares the amount in 100 g of food with the FDA Daily Value for adults and children 4 years and older. It is a reference number for comparing foods, not a personal target. This is not medical or nutrition advice.
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Other nutrient rankings
High proteinHigh fiberHigh potassiumHigh vitamin C All food groups
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov).
- FDA Daily Values for adults and children 4 years and older (21 CFR 101.9) (fda.gov).