Mango contains .12 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 165 grams.
- 1 fruit equals 207 grams.
In the category of fruit, we excluded dried fruit from the Top 10 list and include only fresh fruit. You can assume that if the fresh version made the top 10 list, so too would the dried version.The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:
Mangos, raw
Read more about iron in fruit or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Mango and Your Iron Absorption
Mango is not a good source of iron in itself but it does contribute in important ways to your iron absorption. Mango is a good source of Vitamin C (one mango contains about 75 milligrams of Vitamin C according to the USDA) and Vitamin C helps you absorb your iron from plant-based foods. Plant foods such as nuts, seeds, grains, and beans contain iron inhibitors. These foods have a good iron content but you do not benefit from the iron as you might think because of the inhibitors. You can (and should) follow the advice on this website for reducing the iron inhibitors in your food, but you should also add Vitamin C foods to your diet such as mango. The Vitamin C in the mango will increase your absorption of iron. In this way, mango does contribute to your iron status after all.
Fruit in general is not a strong iron source but it can have a definite role in your absorption of iron. Fruit can be a great source of vitamin C which can assist you in using the iron more completely in non-meat foods; mango is rich in vitamin C, with 27.7 milligrams of vitamin C in 100 grams of mango.
As an example, you may wish to include vine ripened tomatoes and sweet green peppers with a grain-based main dish or with a bean-based dish to improve your metabolism of the iron in your entire meal. A fresh strawberry dessert along with your meal would also help because of the fruit’s vitamin C content. A glass of fruit juice is another an excellent strategy. Explore more about how these vitamin C foods reduce the effect of iron inhibitors in your meal even though they have very little iron themselves.
Explore the resources on this website, particularly the iron rich foods tips page to tweak your diet and to improve your iron status.