If you’ve ever been told you have to eat red meat to meet your iron needs, you aren’t getting all the facts. Plenty of people are unsure how to get iron without meat.

Yes, meat contains iron, but plants do too. In fact, if you’re eating a well-balanced plant-based or mostly plant-based diet, you can absolutely meet your iron needs. You just need to be a little more intentional about how you’re getting it and how your body absorbs it.

Why Iron Matters

Iron plays a big role in your body. It helps carry oxygen in your blood, supports energy levels, and keeps your immune system working properly. Low iron can leave you feeling tired, foggy, and just “off”. Over time, it can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which is something I see often in people who aren’t paying close attention to their iron intake—plant-based or not. In this blog, I’ll stick to inadequate intake leading to low iron levels, because there are other medical reasons why you might be low on iron.

Signs of Iron Deficiency

If your iron is low, you might notice things like:

Fatigue or low energy
Trouble concentrating
Pale skin or inside of your eyelids
Feeling cold often
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Brittle hair or dry skin
Craving or eating non-food items (a condition called pica)

If any of these sound familiar, talk to your healthcare provider. A blood test can confirm where your levels are and help you figure out your next step.

How Much Iron Do You Need?

Your daily iron needs depend on your age, sex, and life stage. Here are the general guidelines:

Men (19+): 8 mg/day
Women (19–50): 18 mg/day
Pregnant women: 27 mg/day
Postmenopausal women: 8 mg/day

If you're plant-based, aim a little higher. Plant-based sources contain non-heme iron, which isn’t absorbed as easily as the heme iron found in animal products. The Institute of Medicine recommends multiplying your iron needs by 1.8 if you don’t eat meat.

That works out to:

Men (plant-based): ~14 mg/day
Women (plant-based, 19–50): ~32 mg/day

Plant-Based Sources of Iron

Here are some foods to prioritize if you're looking to get more iron from plants:

Legumes: Lentils, black beans, chickpeas, soybeans
Tofu and tempeh
Cooked leafy greens: Spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens
Whole grains: Amaranth, quinoa, oats, wheat sprouts
Nuts and seeds: Pumpkin seeds, cashews, hemp seeds, flaxseeds
Dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more)
Fortified foods: Some cereals, plant milks, and protein/ granola bars

How to Absorb More Iron

Non-heme iron (from plants) is a little trickier for your body to absorb, but there are ways to make it easier:

Pair iron with vitamin C. Vitamin C helps your body absorb non-heme iron more efficiently. Good sources include:

Bell peppers
Citrus fruits
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts

A few smart pairings:

Lentils (5.7mg iron in 1 cooked cup) + tomato sauce
Oats (2mg iron in 1/2 cup) + berries
Tofu (1.5mg iron in 3 ounces) + broccoli
Spinach salad (2.7mg iron per 3.5 ounces) + citrus vinaigrette

Other helpful tips:

Cook in cast iron pans — it can slightly increase the iron content of your meals
Avoid tea, coffee, or calcium supplements (even Tums) with meals — they can block iron absorption
If you take an iron supplement, space it out at least 2 hours from calcium-rich foods or drinks

What’s an Iron Fish?

You might have seen the Lucky Iron Fish or Iron Leaf online—it’s a simple tool made of food-safe iron that you can boil in water or soup to boost the iron content. It can be especially helpful if you cook for a family and want an easy way to sneak in a bit more iron across meals.

The Bottom Line

If you follow a plant-based diet—or are just trying to eat more plants—it IS possible to meet your iron needs. It just takes a little planning and the right combinations. And if you're feeling tired, foggy, or not quite yourself, it's worth checking your iron levels to see if that could be part of the issue.

Iron-Rich Foods on a Plant-Based Diet