Butterhead lettuce contains 1.2 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 55 grams.
- 1 head equals 163 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 grbut 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:
Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw
Read more about iron in vegetables or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Vegetables typically are not an exceptional iron source. Those vegetables that have a high content of iron also have the tendency to be full of iron blockers, making it difficult to take in much of the iron from the vegetables.
However, even a vegetable with small amounts of iron may play a valuable part in your iron metabolism. Vegetables can often be great sources of vitamin C, which will actually help you digest the iron more completely in plant-based foods; butterhead lettuce is a meager source of vitamin C.
However, for example you may wish to combine vine ripened tomatoes and green peppers with a whole grain entree or with a bean-based dish to improve your absorption of the iron in your entire meal. A fresh orange salad with a meal would also help because of the vitamins in the fruit. A glass of fruit juice is another a great idea.