Nuts and Seeds High in Iron: Top 16 per 100 g & per Serving
Per 100 g, the nuts and seeds highest in iron are Sesame butter (paste) (19 mg, 107% DV), Pumpkin and squash seed kernels (dried) (8.8 mg, 49% DV) and Chia seeds (dried) (7.7 mg, 43% DV). Per typical serving, Coconut meat (raw) gives the most: 1 medium (397 g) has 9.6 mg (54% DV). 8 of the 16 nuts and seeds ranked are a good source (10% DV or more) in a typical serving; 3 reach 20% DV, the FDA bar for “high in”.
Highest in iron per 100 g
16 of 16 ranked nuts and seeds, 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 | Sesame butter (paste) | 19 mg107% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 3.1 mg17% DV | 6.6 mg |
| 2 | Pumpkin and squash seed kernels (dried) | 8.8 mg49% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.5 mg14% DV | 3.2 mg |
| 3 | Chia seeds (dried) | 7.7 mg43% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.2 mg12% DV | 3.2 mg |
| 4 | Cashew nuts (raw) | 6.7 mg37% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.9 mg11% DV | 2.4 mg |
| 5 | Flaxseed | 5.7 mg32% DV | 1 tbsp10 g | 0.59 mg3% DV | 2.1 mg |
| 6 | Sunflower seed kernels (dried) | 5.3 mg29% DV | 1 cup46 g | 2.4 mg13% DV | 1.8 mg |
| 7 | Sesame butter (tahini, type of kernels unspecified) | 4.4 mg25% DV | 1 tbsp15 g | 0.66 mg4% DV | 1.5 mg |
| 8 | Sunflower seed butter (without salt) | 4.1 mg23% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.2 mg6% DV | 1.3 mg |
| 9 | Pistachio nuts (raw) | 3.9 mg22% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 10 | Almonds | 3.7 mg21% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1.3 mg |
| 11 | Walnuts (English) | 2.9 mg16% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.82 mg5% DV | 0.89 mg |
| 12 | Pecans | 2.5 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.72 mg4% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 13 | Sesame butter (tahini, from raw and stone ground kernels) | 2.5 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.71 mg4% DV | 0.88 mg |
| 14 | Coconut meat (raw) | 2.4 mg14% DV | 1 medium397 g | 9.6 mg54% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 15 | Coconut cream (raw) | 2.3 mg13% DV | 1 cup240 g | 5.5 mg30% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 16 | Coconut milk (raw) | 1.6 mg9% DV | 1 cup240 g | 3.9 mg22% DV | 1.4 mg |
Most iron per typical serving
The same nuts and seeds 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 | Coconut meat (raw) | 2.4 mg14% DV | 1 medium397 g | 9.6 mg54% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 2 | Coconut cream (raw) | 2.3 mg13% DV | 1 cup240 g | 5.5 mg30% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 3 | Coconut milk (raw) | 1.6 mg9% DV | 1 cup240 g | 3.9 mg22% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 4 | Sesame butter (paste) | 19 mg107% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 3.1 mg17% DV | 6.6 mg |
| 5 | Pumpkin and squash seed kernels (dried) | 8.8 mg49% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.5 mg14% DV | 3.2 mg |
| 6 | Sunflower seed kernels (dried) | 5.3 mg29% DV | 1 cup46 g | 2.4 mg13% DV | 1.8 mg |
| 7 | Chia seeds (dried) | 7.7 mg43% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.2 mg12% DV | 3.2 mg |
| 8 | Cashew nuts (raw) | 6.7 mg37% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.9 mg11% DV | 2.4 mg |
| 9 | Sunflower seed butter (without salt) | 4.1 mg23% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.2 mg6% DV | 1.3 mg |
| 10 | Pistachio nuts (raw) | 3.9 mg22% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 11 | Almonds | 3.7 mg21% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1.3 mg |
| 12 | Walnuts (English) | 2.9 mg16% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.82 mg5% DV | 0.89 mg |
| 13 | Pecans | 2.5 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.72 mg4% DV | 0.73 mg |
| 14 | Sesame butter (tahini, from raw and stone ground kernels) | 2.5 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.71 mg4% DV | 0.88 mg |
| 15 | Sesame butter (tahini, type of kernels unspecified) | 4.4 mg25% DV | 1 tbsp15 g | 0.66 mg4% DV | 1.5 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 | Sesame butter (paste) | 19 mg107% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 3.1 mg17% DV | 6.6 mg |
| 2 | Chia seeds (dried) | 7.7 mg43% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.2 mg12% DV | 3.2 mg |
| 3 | Pumpkin and squash seed kernels (dried) | 8.8 mg49% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.5 mg14% DV | 3.2 mg |
| 4 | Cashew nuts (raw) | 6.7 mg37% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.9 mg11% DV | 2.4 mg |
| 5 | Flaxseed | 5.7 mg32% DV | 1 tbsp10 g | 0.59 mg3% DV | 2.1 mg |
| 6 | Sunflower seed kernels (dried) | 5.3 mg29% DV | 1 cup46 g | 2.4 mg13% DV | 1.8 mg |
| 7 | Sesame butter (tahini, type of kernels unspecified) | 4.4 mg25% DV | 1 tbsp15 g | 0.66 mg4% DV | 1.5 mg |
| 8 | Coconut milk (raw) | 1.6 mg9% DV | 1 cup240 g | 3.9 mg22% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 9 | Pistachio nuts (raw) | 3.9 mg22% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 10 | Coconut cream (raw) | 2.3 mg13% DV | 1 cup240 g | 5.5 mg30% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 11 | Coconut meat (raw) | 2.4 mg14% DV | 1 medium397 g | 9.6 mg54% DV | 1.4 mg |
| 12 | Sunflower seed butter (without salt) | 4.1 mg23% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.2 mg6% DV | 1.3 mg |
| 13 | Almonds | 3.7 mg21% DV | 1 oz28 g | 1.1 mg6% DV | 1.3 mg |
| 14 | Walnuts (English) | 2.9 mg16% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.82 mg5% DV | 0.89 mg |
| 15 | Sesame butter (tahini, from raw and stone ground kernels) | 2.5 mg14% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.71 mg4% DV | 0.88 mg |
Which foods are ranked
- The 16 nuts and seeds 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 (16 nuts and seeds); 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.
- 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.
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