This food contains 3.8 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 120 grams.
In the category of grain, we included whole grains and flours in the Top 10 list. 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:
Wheat flour, whole-grain
Read more about iron in grains or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Wheat is an Iron Rich Food
Wheat is an iron-rich grain but it does contain iron absorption inhibitors, as do other grains such as spelt, barley, rye, sorghum, and kamut. That is, whole wheat flour may have 3.8 milligrams of iron per cup, but you will not absorb near the amount of iron in that wheat as you would if you reduced the iron inhibitors, namely the phytic acid content.
On our iron rich foods tips and tricks page we provide more information, but basically we recommend that if you are using whole grain wheat in a breakfast cereal or to make a salad such as bulghur, that you soak your wheat in warm water overnight. If you are baking bread, invest in a grain mill and make the bread from fresh ground wheat. This probably sounds a bit like Little House on the Prairie (and actually they got their grain from a mill), but fresh flour is best in preparing foods to improve their iron availability. On top of that, if you manage a sourdough bread, you will improve your iron absorption from your iron-rich wheat even more.