Bananas contain .25 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 225 grams.
In the category of fruit, we excluded dried fruit from the Top 10 list and include only fresh fruit. You can assume that if the fresh version made the top 10 list, so too would the dried version.The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:
Bananas, raw
Read more about iron in fruit or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Iron in Bananas
Bananas are a great food but not the richest source of iron in the fruit world. One hundred grams of iron contributes about one percent to the daily iron requirement of a women aged twenty to fifty. If you are shopping for fruit to help improve your iron status, some in the Top 10 graph above will be better options for you. Berries tend to be fairly high in iron and they are rich in antioxidants at the same time. Perhaps a berry and banana salad for iron would make a great dessert.
Fruit on the whole is not a good iron source but it does have an important role in iron metabolism. Fruit can often be packed with vitamin C , a vitamin that can help you absorb the iron more completely in your vegetarian food items; Bananas are a low source of vitamin C.
However, for instance you can include peppers and tomatoes with a whole grain entrée or with a bean-based dish to improve your metabolism of the iron in your entire meal. A fresh cranberry dessert along with your meal would also improve your iron metabolism because of the fruit’s vitamin C content. A glass of fruit juice is also a great move. Learn more about how these vitamin C fruits reduce the impact of iron inhibitors in your meal despite the fact that they have little or virtually no iron themselves.
Find out more about the iron content of your favorite foods by using the search function on this website, all about iron rich foods.