Iceberg lettuce 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 72 grams.
- 1 cup equals 57 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 grambut 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, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw
Read more about iron in vegetables or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Vegetables in the main are not an exceptional source of iron. Those vegetables that have a high content of iron also are more likely to be packed with iron inhibitors and so you may not take in a large amount of iron from the vegetable itself.
On the other hand, even a vegetable with modest amounts of iron may play a substantial part in iron absorption. Vegetables tend to be great sources of vitamin C, which will actually help you metabolize the iron more completely in your plant-based foods; iceberg lettuce is a low source of vitamin C.
In spite of this, for instance you may wish to include bell peppers and vine ripened tomatoes with a whole grain entree or with legumes to increase your digestion of the iron in your whole meal. A raw pineapple treat with your dinner would also increase your iron absorption because of the fruit’s vitamin content. A glass of fruit juice is a further an effective strategy.