Daily iron on your dinner plate
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Iron Content of Onions

Onions contain .20 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 160 grams.
  • 1 cup equals 115 grams.

In the category of vegetables, we included whole vegetable products in the Top 10 list. We excluded dried/dehydrated products from the Top 10. You will find some dehydrated vegetables high in iron per 100 grabut they tend to be far more volume than anyone would consume. Furthermore, foods may be fortified with iron but are not included in this Top 10 list. The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:

Onions, raw

Read more about iron in vegetables or visit our iron-rich foods list.

Vegetables generally are not an excellent source of iron. Those vegetables that do have a lot of iron also tend to be packed with iron blockers and so you may not absorb a large amount of iron from the vegetables.

Yet, even a vegetable with minimal iron may play a major role in iron absorption. Vegetables often are high in vitamin C and vitamin C will actually help you absorb the iron better in plant-based food items; onions are a low source of vitamin C.

However, for instance 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 digestion of the iron in your whole meal. A fresh kiwi treat along with your meal would also help because of the fruit’s content of vitamin C. A glass of fruit juice is another excellent plan.