Senior Nutrition -Iron Part 2 - Best Nutritional Sources for Natural Non-heme Iron

By Anna Hazard

Intro

While the most nutritionally balanced diet will contain sources of both Heme (found in 40% of the Iron in animal byproducts) and Non-heme (60% of animal-based + 100% of all plant based) Iron, there are many people such as vegans and vegetarians that would prefer to abstain from the available animal-based foods that provide Heme iron.

The Daily Recommended Dosage for Iron can be achieved through plant-based Non-heme products alone, but as this type of Iron is less efficiently absorbed & bio-available to the body (7-35% for Heme Iron vs 2-20% for Non-heme) , those who only eat plant-based Iron should increase their daily intake by 1.8x over the norm with an upper level that should not exceed 45mg per day. Also keep in mind that Iron is more readily absorbed into the body when taken in the presence of Vitamin C, upto 6x as much when consumed with non-Heme Iron.

Daily Recommended Dosage

• Age 18-50 Male : 8mg per day 
• Age 18-50 Male Vegan/Vegetarian : 14.4mg per
• Age 18-50 Female :18mg per day
• Age 18-50 Female :32.4mg per day
• Age 51+ Male/Female : 8mg per day
• Age 51+ Male/Female Vegetarians/Vegan : 14.4mg
  

View the Rest of the Series

For a basic introduction to nutritional Iron as well as the best sources for Heme Iron (animal byproducts) or synthetic Non-heme Iron, please check out the rest of the articles in this series.

Part 1 - Best Sources for Heme Iron
Part 3 - Best Sources for Synthetic Non-heme Iron

Non-heme Iron (Plant Based)

Pumpkin Seeds (Dried)

• 3 oz serving
• 7.5mg of Non- Heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 93.7%
  

Dark Chocolate (45%–69% Cacao)

• 3 oz serving
• 6.9mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 86.2%
  

Tofu (Firm)

• 1/2 cup serving
• 6.6mg of Non- Heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 82.5%

Sesame Seeds

• 1.5 oz serving
  
• 6mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 75%
  

Pigeon Peas

• 1/2 cup serving

• 5.35mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
  
• Daily Recommended Value - 66.9%
  

Tempeh

• 1 cup serving
• 4.5mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
  
• Daily Recommended Value - 56.3%
  

Soybeans (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving
• 4.4mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 55%
  

Apricots (Dehydrated)

• 1/2 cup serving
• 3.75mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 46.9%
  

Lentils (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving

• 3.3mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
  
• Daily Recommended Value - 41.3%
  

Spinach

• 1/2 cup serving

• 3.2mg of Non- Heme Iron per serving
  
• Daily Recommended Value - 40%
  

Cashews

• 1.5 oz serving
• 2.85mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 35.6%
  

Black Turtle Beans (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving

• 2.65 mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 33.1%

Potato (Microwaved)

• 1 medium potato (7 oz)
  

• 2.5 mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 31.3%

Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving

• 2.35 mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 29.4%
  

Lima Beans (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving
  

• 2.25mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 28.1%
  

Navy/White Beans (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving
  

• 2.15mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 26.9%

Swiss Chard (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving
  

• 2mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
  
• Daily Recommended Value - 25%
  

Kidney Beans (Boiled)

• 1/2 cup serving
  

• 1.95mg of Non-heme Iron per serving
• Daily Recommended Value - 24.4%