Cantaloupe contains .20 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 177 grams.
- 1 cup equals 160 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:
Melons, cantaloupe, raw
Read more about iron in fruit or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Cantaloupe and Iron Rich Foods
Cantaloupe in itself is not a high iron food but it can play a role in improving your iron levels nonetheless. Cantaloupe contains Vitamin C and Vitamin C will help you absorb more iron from plant-based iron rich foods such as grains and beans. Grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds have substances that inhibit your iron absorption, most notably phytic acid. To some degree, consuming a high Vitamin C food with those plant-based iron foods will improve your absorption of iron. We recommend that if you are enjoying a hot breakfast cereal made from an iron rich grain, that you prepare it according to the instructions on this website and that you also eat it along with fresh fruit high in Vitamin C. If cantaloupe is available, it is a good choice. In this way, cantaloupe can contribute to an improvement in your iron levels even though it contains little iron itself.
Fruit for the most part is not a good iron source but it does play a definite role in your absorption of iron. Fruit can often be a great source of vitamin C and vitamin C will assist you in absorbing the iron more completely in vegetarian food items; cantaloupe is a excellent source of vitamin C.
As an example, you may wish to include bell peppers and vine ripened tomatoes with a whole grain entrée or with legumes to increase your absorption of the iron in your entire meal. A fresh papaya dessert along with your meal would also help because of the fruit’s vitamin C content. A glass of fruit juice is also an effective strategy. Learn more about how these vitamin C foods reduce the effect of iron inhibitors in your food even though they have little or virtually no iron in their own right.
Read more about iron rich foods — use our search function to find the iron content of your favorite foods. Do not miss our iron rich foods tips page to tweak your diet and improve your iron absorption.