Shiitake mushroom contains .40 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 piece equals 18 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 grams,but 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:
Mushrooms, shiitake, raw
Read more about iron in vegetables or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Vegetables on the whole are not a very good iron source. Those vegetables that have a high content of iron also have the tendency to be full of iron inhibitors, making it difficult to absorb a considerable amount of iron from the vegetables.
Nonetheless, even a vegetable with very little iron can play an important role in your ability to absorb iron. Vegetables tend to be high in vitamin C and vitamin C can assist you in metabolizing the iron more completely in your plant-based foods; shiitake mushrooms are a low source of vitamin C.
However, for example you can combine tomatoes and green peppers with a whole grain main dish or with beans to help you absorb more of the iron in your meal as a whole. A raw pineapple salad with a meal would also raise your iron metabolism because of the fruit’s content of vitamin C. A glass of fruit juice is yet another a good approach.