This food contains .68 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 200 grams.
- 1 large equals 180 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 gbut 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:
Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt
Read more about iron in vegetables or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Vegetables for the most part are not a very good source of iron. Those vegetables that are loaded with iron also are likely to be high in substances that inhibit iron — you may not absorb a great deal of the iron from the vegetable itself.
On the other hand, even a vegetable with little iron can play an important part in iron metabolism. Vegetables often are high in vitamin C, a vitamin that will actually help you utilize the iron more completely in your plant-based food items; sweet potato is a moderate source of vitamin C.
As an example, you may wish to combine bell peppers and vine ripened tomatoes with a grain-based entree or with legumes to help you absorb more of the iron in your entire meal. A raw pineapple salad along with your meal would also increase your iron metabolism because of the fruit’s content of vitamin C. A glass of fruit juice is also a great idea.