Where to Find Zinc and Iron in Food

Foods That Are Good Sources of Zinc

Zinc can be found in a variety of foods. Here are some of the best sources:

Shellfish: Shellfish are packed with zinc and are healthy and low in calories. Oysters, in particular, have a high zinc content. Other types like crab, shrimp, and mussels are also great sources.

Meat: All kinds of meat have a good amount of zinc, but red meat stands out. For example, 100 grams of raw ground beef has about 4.8 mg of zinc, which is around 43% of the daily recommended amount.

Dairy: A cup of low-fat or fat-free yogurt gives you about 15% of the daily recommended zinc, and a cup of low-fat or fat-free milk gives about 7%.

Legumes and Whole Grains: Known for their health benefits, legumes and whole grains are also rich in zinc. These include chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and edamame. Whole grains like oats, whole wheat bread, brown rice, and quinoa are good sources too.

Other Sources: Dark chocolate, seeds, nuts, fortified breakfast cereals, eggs, and some veggies like mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, kale, regular and sweet potatoes, and green beans also contain zinc.

Foods Rich in Iron

Animal-Based Sources

Animal foods provide heme iron, which your body absorbs much better. Here’s a list from the richest to the lesser sources:

• Beef liver, chicken liver, oysters, mussels
• Beef, canned sardines
• Chicken, turkey, veal
• Salmon, tuna, halibut, haddock, freshwater fish

Plant-Based Sources

Plant sources have non-heme iron, which isn’t absorbed as efficiently, but they’re still valuable. Examples include:

• Iron-fortified cereals
• Cooked beans, peas, chickpeas, canned red kidney beans
• Tofu
• Spinach, broccoli
• Wheat germ
• Dried fruits like apricots, raisins, prunes, peaches
• Seeds like sesame, pumpkin, sunflower
• Nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, cashews
• Brown or fortified rice, bran muffins