Red leaf lettuce contains 1.2 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 28 grams.
- 1 leaf equals 2 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 grambut 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:
Lettuce, red leaf, raw
Read more about iron in vegetables or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Vegetables generally are not a strong source of iron. Those vegetables that do contain iron also are likely to be high in iron inhibitors and so you may not absorb much of the iron from the vegetables.
Nonetheless, even a vegetable with small amounts of iron can play a major role in your body’s ability to metabolize iron. Vegetables often times are loaded with vitamin C and vitamin C will actually help you utilize the iron in your plant-based foods; red leaf lettuce is a meager source of vitamin C.
Despite this, you may wish to combine tomatoes and green peppers with a grain-based main dish or with a bean recipe to increase your absorption of the iron in your entire meal. A raw pineapple salad along with your meal would also help because of the fruit’s content of vitamin C. A glass of fruit juice is yet another an outstanding idea.