Strawberries 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 cup equals 152 grams.
- 1 cup equals 232 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:
Strawberries, raw
Read more about iron in fruit or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Strawberries and Iron Absorption
Strawberries themselves are low in iron but they make an important contribution to your iron absorption. The Vitamin C in strawberries (about 100 milligrams per cup of strawberries according to the USDA) actually helps you absorb the iron in plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, grains, and beans. You will absorb more iron in those foods if you eat them along with a high Vitamin C food like strawberries. Breakfast cereal is a good example. You can have a hot breakfast cereal from a high-iron grain like quinoa or teff (prepared as we suggest on our iron rich foods tips page) and combine it with a high Vitamin C food like strawberries to improve your absorption of iron in the grain. In this way, strawberries can make an important contribution to your iron absorption.
Fruit as a food group is not a great iron source but it can have an important role in your body’s ability to metabolize iron. Fruit often is packed with vitamin C which will actually help you absorb the iron better in plant-based food items; strawberries are rich in vitamin C, with 58.8 milligrams in 100 grams of strawberries.
As an example, you may wish to combine vine ripened tomatoes and bell peppers with a grain-based main dish or with a bean-based dish to help you absorb more of the iron in your whole meal. A fresh cantaloupe dessert with a meal would help as well because of the fruit’s content of vitamin C. A glass of fruit juice is another an excellent plan. Explore more about how these vitamin C foods reduce the effect of iron blockers in your diet even though they contain little or virtually no iron in their own right.
Explore this website for more resources on iron rich foods. You can use the search function to examine the iron content of your favorite foods.