Beef round (full cut) contains 2.7 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 piece equals 282 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, round, full cut, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4″ fat, select, cooked,
Read more about iron in meat or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Meat in general is a great source of iron, especially red meat. Red meat gets its color from the large amount of iron. People who consume red meat do not typically have an iron deficiency. If you do consume red meat and have low iron levels, speak to your doctor about your situation because you may have complicating conditions, from your digestive health to unusual amounts of blood loss.
All meats have the extra advantage of allowing your digestive system to absorb extra iron from plant-based foods. Plant-based iron is normally locked in iron blockers, making plant-based iron much more difficult to metabolize. Even minimal portions of meat will allow your body to unlock that iron and move it into your red blood cells where you can actually use it. Read more about meat’s role in your iron absorption in this academic research.