Winter squash contains .43 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 205 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:
Squash, winter, all varieties, cooked, baked, without salt
Read more about iron in vegetables or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Vegetables overall are not a great iron source. Those vegetables that are packed with iron also have the tendency to be packed with iron blockers, making it difficult to absorb a great deal of the iron from the vegetable itself.
Yet, even a vegetable with very little iron can play a definite role in iron metabolism. Vegetables often are great sources of vitamin C, which can actually help you use the iron more completely in non-meat food items; winter squash overall is low in vitamin C.
Even so, as an example you may wish to include tomatoes and green peppers with a whole grain main dish or with legumes to improve your absorption of the iron in your meal as a whole. A raw orange salad with a meal would also improve your iron absorption because of the fruit’s content of vitamin C. A glass of fruit juice is yet another a good approach.