Lentils contain 3.3 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 cup equals 198 grams.
In the category of beans, we excluded protein isolates and other processed foods from the Top 10 list and include only whole beans. You can assume that if the whole version made the top 10 list, so too would the refined version.The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:
Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt
Read more about iron in beans or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Lentils and Iron Content
Lentils are a great source of iron. One cup of cooked lentils will provide a woman (aged twenty to forty) with about one-third of her daily required iron. However, lentils also contain a potent iron inhibitor called phytic acid which will reduce your body’s ability to absorb that iron. Your best bet if you rely on lentils for iron is to use kitchen preparation strategies to reduce the phytic acid in your lentils and unlock their iron. A simple process of soaking your lentils in advance of cooking them and soaking them in warm water will help reduce the phytic acid and make the iron content more available to your body. You can also eat complementary foods with your lentils such as bell pepper and citrus that are high in vitamin C. These foods will help off-set the remaining phytic acid in the lentils.
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