Foods that have iron
Pregnant?

You should aim for at least 30 milligrams (mg) of iron each day during pregnancy. 

Foods that have iron

Food Amount Mg of iron

clams, canned

3 oz.

24

ready-to-eat cereals enriched with iron

1 cup

5 to 18

cooked cereal enriched with iron

1 cup

5 to 10

tofu, firm

1/2 cup

13

tofu, regular

1/2 cup

6.6

lentils, cooked

1 cup

6.6

spinach, fresh and cooked

1 cup

6.5

enriched wheat flour, cornmeal

1 cup

5.8

meats (liver, heart, kidney)

3 oz.

5.4

liver sausage

2 slices

5.3

trail mix (chocolate chips, nuts and seeds)

1 cup

5

buckwheat flour

1 cup

4.9

spinach, canned

1 cup

4.9

dried beans, cooked (black, pinto, kidney, navy, soy, white)

1 cup

4.5

black-eyed peas cooked

1 cup

4.3

beef (lean), cooked

3 oz.

3.4

turnip or beet greens, cooked

1 cup

3

peas or beets, cooked

1 cup

3

asparagus, mushrooms, sweet potato, white potato with skin

1 cup

2.5 to 3.0

spinach frozen

1 cup

2

lamb (lean), cooked

3 oz.

2.3

shrimp, cooked

3 oz.

2.3

enriched spaghetti, rice or noodles, cooked

1 cup

2

prune juice

1/2 cup

1.5

carob

3 oz.

1.1

chocolate chips

2 tablespoons

1.1

Dried fruit Amount Mg of iron

raisins

1/3 cup

1.3

prunes, cooked

1/2 cup

1.2

peach

two halves

1

fig

two

1

apricots

six halves

1

Source: Allina Health's Patient Education Department, Beginnings: Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond, sixth edition, preg-ahc-90026, ISBN 1-931876-25-8
First Published: 10/04/2002
Last Reviewed: 01/15/2013