Dietary Iron

See Iron Supplementation for pediatric requirements
Typical iron adult intake: 15-18 g/day
Typical iron absorption: 1.5 to 1.8 mg/day
1. Only 5-10% of Dietary Iron is typically absorbed
2. Absorption may increase to 15-50% in Iron Deficiency

Heme-Iron (Better absorption by 2-3 fold)
1. Liver
2. Red meats
  1. Cooked beef (3 oz): 2.5 mg elemental iron
3. Poultry
  1. Turkey or chicken (3 oz dark meat): 1.1 to 2.0 mg elemental iron
4. Fish
Non-Heme Iron
1. Soybeans (0.5 cups cooked): 4.4 mg elemental iron
2. Lentils (0.5 cups cooked): 3.3 mg elemental iron
3. Spinach (0.5 cups cooked): 3.2 mg elemental iron
4. Beans (0.5 cups cooked Kidney, lima, navy pinto): 1.8 to 2.2 elemental iron
5. Apricots
6. Peaches
7. Prunes
8. Apples
9. Grapes
10. Raisins
11. Eggs
12. Iron fortified foods
  1. Fortified breakfast cereals: 18 mg elemental iron per serving
Baby Foods
1. Brown rice cereal or oatmeal cereal (1 tbsp dry): 1.6 to 1.8 mg elemental iron
2. Green Beans (6 oz): 1.8 mg elemental iron
3. Lamb or Chicken: 1.2 mg in 2.5 oz baby food
4. Peas (3.4 oz): 0.9 mg elemental iron

See Iron Supplementation
Enhancers of iron absorption
1. Heme iron (see above)
2. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Inhibitors of iron absorption
1. Polyphenol (in vegetables)
2. Tannins (in tea)
3. Phytate (in bran, cereal)
4. Calcium (dairy products)
5. Antacids (eg. Proton Pump Inhibitors, Maalox, Zantac)