Legumes High in Iron: Top 17 per 100 g & per Serving
Per 100 g, the legumes highest in iron are Lentils (raw) (6.5 mg, 36% DV), Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) (5.4 mg, 30% DV) and Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) (5.2 mg, 29% DV). Per typical serving, Lentils (raw) gives the most: 1 cup (192 g) has 12 mg (69% DV). 6 of the 17 legumes ranked are a good source (10% DV or more) in a typical serving; 4 reach 20% DV, the FDA bar for “high in”.
Highest in iron per 100 g
17 of 17 ranked legumes, most iron first. % = share of the FDA Daily Value. n/r = not reported.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lentils (raw) | 6.5 mg36% DV | 1 cup192 g | 12 mg69% DV | 3.7 mg |
| 2 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 5.4 mg30% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 6.2 mg35% DV | 14 mg |
| 3 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 5.2 mg29% DV | 1 cup205 g | 11 mg60% DV | 3 mg |
| 4 | Tofu (fried) | 4.9 mg27% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.4 mg8% DV | 3.6 mg |
| 5 | Peanuts (raw) | 4.6 mg25% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.3 mg7% DV | 1.6 mg |
| 6 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 3.3 mg19% DV | 1 cup198 g | 6.6 mg37% DV | 5.7 mg |
| 7 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 2.7 mg15% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 2.2 mg12% DV | 3.7 mg |
| 8 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 2.6 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.72 mg4% DV | 0.91 mg |
| 9 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 2.1 mg12% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.59 mg3% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 10 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 1.9 mg11% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 0.3 mg2% DV | 0.64 mg |
| 10 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 1.9 mg11% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 0.68 mg4% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 12 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 1.7 mg10% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 0.56 mg3% DV | 0.58 mg |
| 13 | Peanut butter with omega-3 (creamy) | 1.7 mg9% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 0.27 mg1% DV | 0.55 mg |
| 14 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 1.6 mg9% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 1.3 mg7% DV | 4.1 mg |
| 15 | Tofu (soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1 cubic inch18 g | 0.2 mg1% DV | 3.6 mg |
| 16 | Tofu yogurt | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1 cup262 g | 2.8 mg15% DV | 2.3 mg |
| 17 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 0.64 mg4% DV | 1 cup243 g | 1.6 mg9% DV | 2.4 mg |
Most iron per typical serving
The same legumes ranked by what one typical USDA portion gives, which is what you eat.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lentils (raw) | 6.5 mg36% DV | 1 cup192 g | 12 mg69% DV | 3.7 mg |
| 2 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 5.2 mg29% DV | 1 cup205 g | 11 mg60% DV | 3 mg |
| 3 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 3.3 mg19% DV | 1 cup198 g | 6.6 mg37% DV | 5.7 mg |
| 4 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 5.4 mg30% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 6.2 mg35% DV | 14 mg |
| 5 | Tofu yogurt | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1 cup262 g | 2.8 mg15% DV | 2.3 mg |
| 6 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 2.7 mg15% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 2.2 mg12% DV | 3.7 mg |
| 7 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 0.64 mg4% DV | 1 cup243 g | 1.6 mg9% DV | 2.4 mg |
| 8 | Tofu (fried) | 4.9 mg27% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.4 mg8% DV | 3.6 mg |
| 9 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 1.6 mg9% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 1.3 mg7% DV | 4.1 mg |
| 10 | Peanuts (raw) | 4.6 mg25% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.3 mg7% DV | 1.6 mg |
| 11 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 2.6 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.72 mg4% DV | 0.91 mg |
| 12 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 1.9 mg11% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 0.68 mg4% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 13 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 2.1 mg12% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.59 mg3% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 14 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 1.7 mg10% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 0.56 mg3% DV | 0.58 mg |
| 15 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 1.9 mg11% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 0.3 mg2% DV | 0.64 mg |
Most iron per 200 kcal
Nutrient density: iron for the same 200 calories of each food.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 5.4 mg30% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 6.2 mg35% DV | 14 mg |
| 2 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 3.3 mg19% DV | 1 cup198 g | 6.6 mg37% DV | 5.7 mg |
| 3 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 1.6 mg9% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 1.3 mg7% DV | 4.1 mg |
| 4 | Lentils (raw) | 6.5 mg36% DV | 1 cup192 g | 12 mg69% DV | 3.7 mg |
| 5 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 2.7 mg15% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 2.2 mg12% DV | 3.7 mg |
| 6 | Tofu (soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1 cubic inch18 g | 0.2 mg1% DV | 3.6 mg |
| 7 | Tofu (fried) | 4.9 mg27% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.4 mg8% DV | 3.6 mg |
| 8 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 5.2 mg29% DV | 1 cup205 g | 11 mg60% DV | 3 mg |
| 9 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 0.64 mg4% DV | 1 cup243 g | 1.6 mg9% DV | 2.4 mg |
| 10 | Tofu yogurt | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1 cup262 g | 2.8 mg15% DV | 2.3 mg |
| 11 | Peanuts (raw) | 4.6 mg25% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.3 mg7% DV | 1.6 mg |
| 12 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 2.6 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.72 mg4% DV | 0.91 mg |
| 13 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 2.1 mg12% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.59 mg3% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 14 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 1.9 mg11% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 0.68 mg4% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 15 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 1.9 mg11% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 0.3 mg2% DV | 0.64 mg |
Concentrated forms (not ranked)
Flours, powders, concentrates, sugars and fortified foods with iron, listed by value per 100 g but left out of the rankings above.
| Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tofu (dried-frozen koyadofu) | 9.7 mg54% DV | 1 piece17 g | 1.7 mg9% DV | 4.1 mg |
| Peanut flour (low fat) | 4.7 mg26% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.3 mg7% DV | 2.2 mg |
Which foods are ranked
- The 17 legumes on CalorieExplorer with a reported iron value. They are generic USDA FoodData Central rows (Foundation Foods and SR Legacy) with a plain name: no branded products, restaurant items, survey mixed dishes, baby foods or regional specialty rows.
- Only foods with more than 0 mg are ranked (17 legumes); a food with no reported value is left out, never counted as 0.
- Flours, crude brans, powders and dehydrated foods, juice concentrates, mixes, sugars and fortified foods are not ranked: per 100 g they beat every food eaten as is. They are listed separately below.
- Ties share a rank: foods with the same value per 100 g get the same number, and the next number is skipped.
- Typical portion = USDA's own serving weight for that food (a medium fruit, 1 cup, 1 oz…), as on its food page. Per 200 kcal shows how much you get for the same calories; foods under 5 kcal per 100 g are not ranked that way (–).
- % DV = share of the FDA Daily Value for iron, 18 mg a day for adults and children 4 and older.
- FDA lets a label call a food “high in” a nutrient when one reference serving gives 20% of the Daily Value or more, and a “good source” at 10–19% (21 CFR 101.54). We apply it to the typical USDA portion, which is not always the label's reference amount.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (Foundation Foods 2026-04-30; SR Legacy 2018-04). Values per 100 g as published in each food's record, at FDC's precision; serving weights from the same records, retrieved 2026-10-13. Each food page names its FDC ID.
% Daily Value: FDA Daily Values (2016 Nutrition Facts label rule, 21 CFR 101.9), adults and children 4+. How we calculate.
Last updated . Values are averages for the food as described; brands, varieties and cooking change them. Not medical advice.