Nuts are a remarkably popular snack food—and rightly so. They're tasty, healthy, and nutritious. But are nuts high in iron?
Table of Contents
- Are Nuts High or Low in Iron?
- Nutritional Facts: Mixed nuts, oil roasted (3.5 oz/100 g)
- Which Nuts Are Highest in Iron?
- Are Cashews High in Iron?
- Are Pine Nuts High in Iron?
- Are Hazelnuts High in Iron?
- Are Peanuts High in Iron?
- Are Pistachios High in Iron?
- Are Almonds High in Iron?
- Are Macadamias High in Iron?
- Are Walnuts High in Iron?
- Are Pecans High in Iron?
- Are Brazil Nuts High in Iron?
- Recommended Iron Intake
- Conclusion
Are Nuts High or Low in Iron?
Levels vary, but most nuts are high in iron. Adding nuts, or, even better, several types of nuts, to your diet is a great way to boost your iron intake.
A simple bag of mixed nuts provides you with many nutrients, including that all-important iron.
Nutritional Facts: Mixed nuts, oil roasted (3.5 oz/100 g)
- Calories: 607
- Total Fat: 54 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 21 g
- Dietary fiber: 7 g
- Sugar 4.2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Iron: 2.61 mg 14-32% DV
- Potassium: 632 mg 13% DV
- Vitamin: C 0% DV
- Calcium: 11% DV
- Vitamin B6: 20% DV
- Magnesium: 57% DV
Which Nuts Are Highest in Iron?
Cashews contain the most iron with 6.7 mg, while Brazil nuts and pecans have the least with 2.4 mg and 2.5 mg, respectively.
| Cashews | Pine nuts | Hazelnuts | Peanuts | Pistachios | Almonds | Macadamia | Walnuts | Pecans | Brazil nuts |
| 6.7 mg | 5.5 mg | 4.7 mg | 4.6 mg | 3.9 mg | 3.7 mg | 3.7 mg | 2.9 mg | 2.5 mg | 2.4 mg |
Below, I go into more detail; let's see how your favorite nuts fare.
Are Cashews High in Iron?
Cashews are very high in iron. 3.5 oz or 100 g of cashews contains 6.7 mg of iron, 37% of the recommended daily intake for adult women and a whopping 84% for men.
Just one ounce (28.4 g) has 1.9 mg, and that's still a lot for a handful of nuts.
Cashews are also high in:
- Copper (110%)
- Phosphorus (85%)
- Magnesium (82%)
- Manganese (79%)
- Zinc (61%)
RELATED: Are Blueberries High in Iron?
Are Pine Nuts High in Iron?
Although not as popular as most other nuts on this list, pine nuts are a star among nuts. Pignoli, as they're also called, are high in many nutrients, including iron, with 3.5 oz containing 5.5 mg.
That's 30% of the recommended daily intake for women and almost 69% for men. Apart from iron, pignoli are also high in:
- Manganese (419%)
- Phosphorus (82%)
- Magnesium (71%)
- Zinc (67%)
- Copper (65%)
Are Hazelnuts High in Iron?
Hazelnuts are also very high in iron, with a 3.5 oz serving containing 4.7 mg of iron, 26% of the recommended daily intake for women and 58% for men.
Just twenty hazelnuts contains 1.3 mg of iron, four times more than a banana.
Hazelnuts are also high in fiber, protein, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin C.
Are Peanuts High in Iron?
Although peanuts aren't true nuts, they're also rich in iron, especially when eaten raw. 3.5 oz of peanuts contains 4.6 mg of iron, 25% of the recommended daily intake for women and 57% for men. Just a one-ounce provides between 7 and 16% of the recommended daily intake.
As with all nuts, peanuts are high in calories, so it's better to eat them in moderation. To keep your calorie intake under control, consider eating them raw rather than roasted. Raw peanuts contain twice the iron of cooked ones, although dry-roasted ones retain more than oil-roasted or boiled ones.
Are Pistachios High in Iron?
Pistachios are delicious, high in iron, and contain many other nutrients. A 3.5 oz serving contains 3.9 mg of iron, 21% of the recommended daily intake for adult women and 49% for men.
However, with that serving containing 562 calories, a smaller portion would be better if you're trying to lose weight. An ounce of pistachios contains only 160 calories, provides between 6 and 14% of the recommended daily intake of iron, and has vitamin B6, fiber, and magnesium.
Are Almonds High in Iron?
Almonds are very versatile, so they're often found in food. They're also high in iron, with 3.5 oz providing 3.7 mg, 20-46% of the recommended daily intake.
The recommended daily iron intake is 18 mg for adult women and 8 mg for men. See more in the chart below.
Are Macadamias High in Iron?
Macadamias are also very high in iron, with a 3.5 oz (100 g) serving providing 3.7 mg, 20% of the recommended daily intake for women and 46% for men.
Are Walnuts High in Iron?
Walnuts are among the healthiest of nuts, and are also very high in iron. 3.5 oz (a cup) provides 2.9 mg of iron, 16% of the recommended daily intake for women and 36% for men.
In that cup of walnuts, you'll also get almost 30% of the recommended daily allowance of fiber, 25% of vitamin B6, and almost 40% of magnesium.
Are Pecans High in Iron?
Pecans are widely used in baking and are a good source of iron. 3.5 oz contains 2.5 mg, 14% of the recommended daily allowance for women and 31% for men.
Pecans are also extremely high in manganese, zinc, and thiamine (B1), and relatively high in magnesium, and phosphorus.
Are Brazil Nuts High in Iron?
Although they have one of the lowest iron levels among nuts, Brazil nuts are still high in iron. They contain 2.4 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) serving, or 13% of the recommended daily intake for women and 30% for men.
The same serving of Brazil nuts will also give you almost 100% of the recommended daily intake of magnesium and 30% of fiber.
Recommended Iron Intake
Your recommended daily intake of iron depends on your age and sex. It was developed by the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
| RDAs for Iron | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnant | Lactating |
| 0-6 months | 0.27 mg | 0.27 mg | ||
| 7-12 months | 11 mg | 11 mg | ||
| 1-3 years | 7 mg | 7 mg | ||
| 4-8 years | 10 mg | 10 mg | ||
| 9-13 years | 8 mg | 8 mg | ||
| 14-18 years | 11 mg | 15 mg | 27 mg | 10 mg |
| 19-50 years | 8 mg | 18 mg | 27 mg | 9 mg |
| 51+ years | 8 mg | 8 mg |
Conclusion
Nuts and nut butter contain high amounts of non-heme iron. Cashews, pine nuts, hazelnuts, and peanuts are the highest in iron, while Brazil nuts and pecans are the lowest.
Source: USDA