Health Reference LibraryFoods high in iron: UK portions and how far they get you
This entry is part of the Nutri Tailor Health Reference Library — cited research on supplements, nutrients and adjacent areas of health.
Summary
Lean red meat, sardines, lentils, tofu and fortified cereal each supply 2.5 to 4 mg of iron a portion, but how much you absorb matters as much as what is on the plate: iron from meat and fish is absorbed at 15 to 35 percent, iron from plants at 2 to 20 percent, and less again with tea, coffee, calcium or bran in the same meal. The reference intake is 8.7 mg a day for men and 14.8 mg for women aged 19 to 50. A woman with heavy periods on a plant based diet can eat well and still run short, which is why a ferritin test settles the question rather than a food list.
How it works
How much you absorb matters as much as how much is on the plate. Haem iron from meat and fish is absorbed at 15 to 35 percent; plant iron at 2 to 20 percent, and less with tea, coffee, calcium and phytates in the same meal. A woman with heavy periods on a plant based diet can eat well and still run short, which is why iron is the one nutrient where a ferritin test settles the question. Pair plant iron with vitamin C and keep tea an hour away.
Effective dose
The reference intake is 8.7 mg a day for men and 14.8 mg for women aged 19 to 50; the table gives the richest everyday sources, starting with beef, lean, cooked at about 2.5 mg, well absorbed for 100 g and sardines, canned at about 2.9 mg for 100 g. Portion figures in the table are approximate, from the NHS and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements food tables, and vary with variety, season and cooking; they are for planning a day, not for accounting.
Practical framework
Build the day from the table: two or three of the portions above usually reach the reference intake. If food will not close the gap, Nutri Tailor stocks [iron bisglycinate with vitamin C](/products/iron-vitamin-c), made in the UK; the dose page linked below says how much. To read your own result against the UK ranges, use the free blood test result interpreter. This is a summary of published research, not personal health advice. Talk to your GP or a registered nutritional therapist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, have a diagnosed condition or are under ongoing care.
Common misconceptions
That one superfood does it: iron adds up across the day from ordinary foods. That the figure on a packet is what you absorb: absorption depends on the form and the rest of the meal, as above. That a supplement is a substitute for the foods, which carry fibre, protein and other nutrients the capsule does not.
Forms compared
| Food | UK Portion | Iron Per Portion |
|---|---|---|
Sources
- NHS 2026. Iron. Vitamins and minerals. NHS.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements 2025. Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements.