Tips to boost iron
by Anne Finch, Accredited Practising Dietitian for LiveLighter
- June 30, 2026
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Our body needs iron to make the red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body.
How much iron do I need each day?
Women
- 8-18 mg each day (if you have periods)
- 5-8 mg each day (if you don’t)
Men
- 6-8 mg each day
*Iron needs during childhood, pregnancy and breastfeeding are different - see your doctor if you have any concerns.
High iron foods
Our bodies are better at absorbing iron from animal sources than plant sources. So while a plant-based food and an animal-based food might have the same amount of iron in them, we can get more iron out of the animal-based food, and into our bodies.
These foods are good sources of iron.
Animal sources
100 g cooked lamb
3.1 mg
100 g cooked beef or kangaroo
2.7 mg
2 eggs
2 mg
100 g sardines
2 mg
1 tbs chicken liver pate
1.6 mg
100 g grilled salmon
1.2 mg
90 g can tuna
0.8 mg
100 g cooked chicken
0.5 mg
Plant sources
2 Weetbix
3 mg
1 cup wholemeal pasta
2.8 mg
½ cup cooked spinach
2.6 mg
100 g firm tofu
2.5 mg
½ cup kidney beans
2 mg
½ cup cooked lentils
2 mg
½ cup cooked Asian greens (e.g. bok choy)
1.8 mg
2 slices wholegrain bread
1.6 mg
1 tbs pumpkin seeds
1.2 mg
1 row (25g) dark chocolate
1.1 mg
20 g almonds
1 mg
1 cup raw spinach or silverbeet
0.8 mg
Pro tip 1: add vitamin C
Eat high iron plant foods with a good source of vitamin C to increase iron absorption.
Good sources of vitamin C
Berries
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Citrus
Capsicum
Kale
Tomato
Pro tip 2: avoid tea, coffee and wine around mealtimes
Don’t have tea, coffee or wine for 1 hour before and 1 hour after eating meals. These drinks contain tannins which block iron absorption.
Pro tip 3: add a little meat
Eat high iron foods with a little meat. Even a small amount of meat can increase the amount of iron absorbed from other sources.
