The Surprising Truth About Spinach's Iron Content

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIron in SpinachOther Iron-Rich GreensWho Needs More Iron?Meal and Snack Ideas

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Iron in Spinach

Other Iron-Rich Greens

Who Needs More Iron?

Meal and Snack Ideas

Spinach is high in iron, but it also containsoxalic acid, which inhibits iron absorption.The amount of iron in plants surpasses the content in animal sources, but much less of it is absorbed (about 1% to 15% of intake).

The body needs iron to help make hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body), myoglobin (a protein that provides oxygen to muscles), and some hormones.

Spinach: High in Iron?

The two types of iron in food are:

Spinachcontains nonheme iron, so even though spinach is high in iron, the body absorbs only a small amount of it. The oxalic acid in spinach makes it harder for the body to absorb iron from it, preventing more than 90% of its iron from being absorbed.

In contrast, iron from red meat is absorbed about 10 times more than iron from vegetables. Regarding quantities, less red meat than vegetables can be consumed to get the iron the body needs.

Phytate(found mainly in grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds), and polyphenols (found in vegetables, cereals, spices,tea, coffee, red wine, and cocoa) can also inhibit nonheme iron absorption. Calcium can inhibit both nonheme and heme iron absorption.

Be mindful of the other foods and drinks you consume when you are eating foods to increase your iron intake. For example, eating dairy products and drinking coffee with your meal may inhibit the absorption of the iron your meal contains.

Ascorbic acid(vitamin C) can increase the absorption of iron when they are consumed together. Adding foods to your meal that are high in ascorbic acid, such as citrus and tomatoes, can enhance the absorption of the iron in the foods you are eating at the same time.

Despite not living up to its iron source reputation, spinach is still worth including in your diet. It contains beneficial nutrients like:

Raw vs. Cooked Spinach

One cup of raw spinachcontains 0.813 milligrams (mg) of iron.

One cup of cooked spinach contains about 6.4 mg of iron.

The same volume of cooked spinach has more than 6 times the amount of iron than raw spinach because raw spinach has ahigh water content, which takes up more room than when the water has been cooked out.

Other Iron-Rich Greens to Try

Leafy green vegetablesare full of nutritious components, including iron. The iron absorption rate for green, leafy vegetables is about 7% to 9%, which is lower than meats, but higher than other plant sources of iron such as grains (4%) and dried legumes (2%).

In addition to spinach, vegetables that are high in iron include:

Individuals have different iron needs.Iron deficiency anemia (IDA)occurs when iron levels are too low to produce enough healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen effectively. IDA affects about 4 million to 5 million Americans each year.

Groups at risk for IDA include:

Iron DeficiencyIron deficiencyoccurs in stages, as follows:Decrease in stored iron from a low-iron diet or excessive bleedGreater depletion of iron stores and a drop in red blood cellsIron deficiency anemia (iron stores are used up, and there is a significant loss of total red blood cells)Signs of IDA include:ConfusionFatigueHair loss and/or brittle nailsLight-headednessLoss of concentrationPale skinPica (cravings for ice or nonfood items such as dirt or clay)Rapid heart rateSensitivity to coldShortness of breathWeaknessIDA is usually treated withoral iron supplements. Do not take iron supplements just because you think you have low iron, get your levelschecked with a blood testthrough a healthcare provider to see if you need it.Too much supplemental ironcan be dangerous and, in some cases, fatal (particularly for children—keep iron supplements where children can’t access them).

Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiencyoccurs in stages, as follows:Decrease in stored iron from a low-iron diet or excessive bleedGreater depletion of iron stores and a drop in red blood cellsIron deficiency anemia (iron stores are used up, and there is a significant loss of total red blood cells)Signs of IDA include:ConfusionFatigueHair loss and/or brittle nailsLight-headednessLoss of concentrationPale skinPica (cravings for ice or nonfood items such as dirt or clay)Rapid heart rateSensitivity to coldShortness of breathWeaknessIDA is usually treated withoral iron supplements. Do not take iron supplements just because you think you have low iron, get your levelschecked with a blood testthrough a healthcare provider to see if you need it.Too much supplemental ironcan be dangerous and, in some cases, fatal (particularly for children—keep iron supplements where children can’t access them).

Iron deficiencyoccurs in stages, as follows:

Signs of IDA include:

IDA is usually treated withoral iron supplements. Do not take iron supplements just because you think you have low iron, get your levelschecked with a blood testthrough a healthcare provider to see if you need it.

Too much supplemental ironcan be dangerous and, in some cases, fatal (particularly for children—keep iron supplements where children can’t access them).

High-Iron Meal and Snack Ideas

Food sources of heme iron include:

Food sources of nonheme ironinclude:

Try to pairhigh-iron foodswith high-vitamin C foods to help with iron absorption.

The Nutrition Source at Harvard University gives this example of a dish that combines foods that are high in nonheme fiber and vitamin C:

For more ideas, consider downloading theRed Cross Iron Rich Food Guide.

Summary

Spinach is high in iron, but it also contains components that make it hard for the body to absorb that iron. Heme iron, which comes from meat, is more easily absorbed than nonheme iron, which comes from plant and animal sources. Vitamin C can help increase iron absorption when consumed at the same time.

Some people are at higher risk of low iron, such as pregnant people,menstruating people, people who don’t eat meat, and children.

People with iron-deficiency anemia may need to take iron supplements. Don’t take iron supplements unless your healthcare provider tells you you need them to avoid getting potentially dangerous high amounts of iron. Keepiron supplementsaway from children, as they contain enough iron to be fatal for a child.

14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McGill University.Iron in spinach.Briguglio M, Hrelia S, Malaguti M, et al.The central role of iron in human nutrition: from folk to contemporary medicine.Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1761. doi:10.3390/nu12061761National Institutes of Health.Iron.Piskin E, Cianciosi D, Gulec S, Tomas M, Capanoglu E.Iron absorption: factors, limitations, and improvement methods.ACS Omega. 2022;7(24):20441-20456. doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c01833University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.Is spinach a great source of iron?Rush Memorial Hospital.Iron, anemia & why popeye ate spinach.Sarma U, Tr B.Dietary phytonutrients in common green leafy vegetables and the significant role of processing techniques on spinach: a review.Food Prod Process and Nutr. 2024;6(1):10. doi:10.1186/s43014-023-00192-7U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, raw.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.American National Red Cross.Iron rich foods.Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.Iron.Harvard Health.A healthy diet is the key to getting the iron you need.nidirect.Iron.Stanford Medicine.Ways to boost blood iron levels while eating a vegan or vegetarian diet.

14 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McGill University.Iron in spinach.Briguglio M, Hrelia S, Malaguti M, et al.The central role of iron in human nutrition: from folk to contemporary medicine.Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1761. doi:10.3390/nu12061761National Institutes of Health.Iron.Piskin E, Cianciosi D, Gulec S, Tomas M, Capanoglu E.Iron absorption: factors, limitations, and improvement methods.ACS Omega. 2022;7(24):20441-20456. doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c01833University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.Is spinach a great source of iron?Rush Memorial Hospital.Iron, anemia & why popeye ate spinach.Sarma U, Tr B.Dietary phytonutrients in common green leafy vegetables and the significant role of processing techniques on spinach: a review.Food Prod Process and Nutr. 2024;6(1):10. doi:10.1186/s43014-023-00192-7U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, raw.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.American National Red Cross.Iron rich foods.Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.Iron.Harvard Health.A healthy diet is the key to getting the iron you need.nidirect.Iron.Stanford Medicine.Ways to boost blood iron levels while eating a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

McGill University.Iron in spinach.Briguglio M, Hrelia S, Malaguti M, et al.The central role of iron in human nutrition: from folk to contemporary medicine.Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1761. doi:10.3390/nu12061761National Institutes of Health.Iron.Piskin E, Cianciosi D, Gulec S, Tomas M, Capanoglu E.Iron absorption: factors, limitations, and improvement methods.ACS Omega. 2022;7(24):20441-20456. doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c01833University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.Is spinach a great source of iron?Rush Memorial Hospital.Iron, anemia & why popeye ate spinach.Sarma U, Tr B.Dietary phytonutrients in common green leafy vegetables and the significant role of processing techniques on spinach: a review.Food Prod Process and Nutr. 2024;6(1):10. doi:10.1186/s43014-023-00192-7U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, raw.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.American National Red Cross.Iron rich foods.Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.Iron.Harvard Health.A healthy diet is the key to getting the iron you need.nidirect.Iron.Stanford Medicine.Ways to boost blood iron levels while eating a vegan or vegetarian diet.

McGill University.Iron in spinach.

Briguglio M, Hrelia S, Malaguti M, et al.The central role of iron in human nutrition: from folk to contemporary medicine.Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1761. doi:10.3390/nu12061761

National Institutes of Health.Iron.

Piskin E, Cianciosi D, Gulec S, Tomas M, Capanoglu E.Iron absorption: factors, limitations, and improvement methods.ACS Omega. 2022;7(24):20441-20456. doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c01833

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.Is spinach a great source of iron?

Rush Memorial Hospital.Iron, anemia & why popeye ate spinach.

Sarma U, Tr B.Dietary phytonutrients in common green leafy vegetables and the significant role of processing techniques on spinach: a review.Food Prod Process and Nutr. 2024;6(1):10. doi:10.1186/s43014-023-00192-7

U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, raw.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.

American National Red Cross.Iron rich foods.

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.Iron.

Harvard Health.A healthy diet is the key to getting the iron you need.

nidirect.Iron.

Stanford Medicine.Ways to boost blood iron levels while eating a vegan or vegetarian diet.

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