Daily iron on your dinner plate
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Iron Beef

Top sirloin steak contains 1.6 milligrams of iron per 100 grams. Grams is a measure of weight. To put 100 grams in perspective, consider alternative measures for this food:

  • 1 steak equals 484 grams.
  • 3 oz equals 85 grams.

In the category of beef, we included whole food products in the Top 10 list. Foods may be fortified with iron but are not included in this Top 10 list.The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:

Beef, top sirloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8″ fat, select, c

Read more about iron in meat or visit our iron-rich foods list.

Iron in Beef

Beef is a great source of iron. Not only does a three-and-a-half ounce serving provide a young woman with about twenty percent of her daily iron, the iron in the beef is highly absorbed. The iron in beef is called “heme iron” and typical dietary iron inhibitors like those you find in grains and vegetables do not interfere with its absorption. Furthermore, muscle meats like beef actually enhance your absorption of iron from grains, beans, and other plant-based foods. A bit of beef sirloin in the diet can make a strong impact on your iron status. For those concerned about the saturated fat in beef, there are many cuts of beef that are extremely lean and provide the iron without the saturated fat.

As Much Iron in Dark Chocolate as Beef?

Do we really need beef for iron? Can we get iron from a high-quality dark chocolate? It is a great question. Check out the video.

For more information on the iron content of your favorite foods, explore the resources on this website by food group or use the search function for the iron content of less common foods.