Which vegetables contain a lot of iron?

As an important building block of the body, iron is essential - we show you ten vegetables with a lot of iron, which will help you to meet your daily iron needs.

Iron plays a fundamental role in our body because it is an important trace element that is particularly important in our metabolism. If an iron deficiency occurs, we often feel generally battered and sickly. It is all the more important to prevent iron deficiency at an early stage. A balanced diet with iron-rich vegetables is the first step in providing your body with the important raw materials. But which vegetables contain a lot of iron? In this article, we present ten iron-rich vegetables that are he althy additions to your diet.

Iron-rich vegetables: Why is iron he althy?

Although iron is only found in low concentrations as a trace element in our body, it plays an extremely important role in our metabolism: As part of our blood pigment hemoglobin, iron is responsible for binding oxygen and then transporting it to our organs. Iron also plays an important role in supplying the muscles with oxygen, which is why athletes in particular must ensure an adequate iron supply. Iron also plays a role in various enzymes, is required for some metabolic processes and is also involved in signal transmission in nerve cells.

In order for iron to be able to fulfill all of these tasks in our body, it is important that we ingest a sufficient quantity of the trace element through food. Iron deficiency is often manifested by general symptoms such as tiredness, exhaustion and paleness. But also (mucous) skin diseases, brittle nails and disorders of hair growth can be a result of iron deficiency. To prevent iron deficiency from occurring in the first place, men need around 10 mg of iron per day, while women should consume 15 mg of iron per day. The German Society for Nutrition even recommends an iron intake of 30 mg per day for pregnant women. A balanced diet plays a key role in supplying ironmost important role. Meat is particularly rich in iron, but the iron content in various vegetables is also very high.

By the way: An excessive iron concentration in the body is also harmful and can result in diarrhea and vomiting. However, it is almost impossible to get too much iron from food - instead, the rare increase in iron levels is often due to incorrectly dosed iron supplements or diseases. So you don't have to be afraid of eating too many vegetables with iron.

Overview: Which vegetables contain a lot of iron?

Although animal products are often mentioned as particularly good sources of iron, vegetables with a high iron content are also good for ensuring an adequate supply. However, the iron in vegetables is better utilized than iron from animal products, since it is in trivalent form and has to be converted by the body first. However, one can improve the absorption of iron from vegetables by including vegetables high in vitamin C in the meal, since vitamin C promotes iron absorption. Foods with a high phytate, tannin, phosphate or oxalic acid content, on the other hand, inhibit iron absorption and should only be combined with iron-rich vegetables to a limited extent.

1. Kidney Beans

With a whopping 8.2mg of iron per 100g, kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) top the list of iron-rich vegetables. This means that kidney beans have almost four times as much iron as a pork cutlet of the same weight. However, kidney beans also have a phytate content, which is why their iron can only be partially absorbed by the body. Nevertheless, kidney beans are a great enrichment in the daily diet, because they not only shine with an excellent iron content, but are also rich in proteins and complex carbohydrates. In addition to kidney beans, other beans, such as white beans, also have a lot of iron.

2. Lentils

Lentils (Lens culinaris) have always been considered not only delicious, but also very he althy. This could have something to do with the high iron content in vegetables: on average, 8 mg are hidden in 100 g of dried lentils. Due to its phytate content, however, not all of the iron can be absorbed by humans. Nevertheless, all types of lentils are a useful addition to the dining table, because the iron-rich vegetable is also an excellent oneSource of protein and impresses with high levels of potassium, calcium and zinc.

Tip: If you want to harvest the he althy vegetables yourself, you can easily plant lentils in your own garden.

3. Chickpeas

Similar to kidney beans and lentils, chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) shine with their high iron content. The iron-rich vegetables have 6.1 mg per 100 g when dried. Although the availability of iron is also limited here due to the high phytate content, the vegetables with a lot of iron have other strengths: the protein-rich filler scores with many vitamins and important minerals such as zinc, potassium or magnesium.

4. Spinach

For a long time it was believed that the iron content in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is particularly high. In fact, the "iron bomb" spinach is just a myth that probably goes back to a calculation error. Nevertheless, the iron content in spinach is not to be scoffed at: around 3.4 mg of iron are present in 100 g of fresh spinach. Although spinach contains oxalic acid, which can slow down iron absorption, the iron-rich vegetable also has a high vitamin C content, which can promote iron absorption. In addition, spinach not only has a lot of iron, but also scores with a high content of folic acid, potassium and magnesium.

5. Salsify

Black salsifies (Scorzonera hispanica) are one of the lesser-known types of vegetables today, but should not be underestimated. The almost forgotten type of vegetable not only impresses with its excellent taste, but also with its inner values: 110 g of the vegetable contain 3.3 mg of iron. In addition, the iron-rich vegetables contain many important vitamins such as vitamins A, E and C as well as potassium and he althy fiber.

6. Chard

If you are looking for a vegetable with iron, you should take a closer look at the chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris): With 2 .7 mg iron per 100 g, the vegetables have a high iron content. In addition, chard has a high vitamin C content, which also promotes the absorption of iron in the digestive tract. The iron-rich vegetables can also shine with a high proportion of minerals such as magnesium, calcium and sodium and also contain numerous vitamins.

Tip: Have you already tried to grow chard in your own garden? If you have the vegetables freshly harvestedprocessed and enjoyed, the content of valuable ingredients is particularly high. Our Plantura vegetable growing set offers a good introduction to growing vegetables: the types of vegetables it contains can be easily grown by beginners and experienced vegetable gardeners themselves thanks to the instructions included and will soon provide you with protein-rich chard and other he althy types of vegetables.

7. Lamb's lettuce

Lambs lettuce (Valerianella locusta) is one of the most popular types of lettuce. No wonder, after all, the cultivation of lamb's lettuce is not only particularly easy, the plant is also tasty and he althy. We are particularly impressed by the lamb's lettuce with its iron content: 100 g of the fresh lettuce contain a total of 2.0 mg. In addition, the iron-rich vegetables also contain a lot of vitamin C, which supports the absorption of the trace element. In addition to iron, lamb's lettuce also scores with high levels of vitamin A, folic acid and magnesium - making winter lettuce a great source of nutrients for the cold season.

8. Peas

The small green peas (Pisum sativum) are not only delicious, but also extremely he althy. In addition to digestion-promoting dietary fiber and plant-based proteins, the vegetables also impress with iron: between 1.5 and 1.9 mg of the trace element are present in the iron-rich vegetables. Although the phytic acid contained in peas reduces the absorption of iron somewhat, peas also contain a lot of vitamin C, which in turn boosts iron absorption.

9. Kale

Many people already know that kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is one of the vegetables particularly rich in vitamin C. But did you know that kale is also an iron-rich vegetable? Kale has an iron content of between 1.5 and 1.9 mg per 100 g and is therefore an excellent plant source of iron. In addition, the high content of vitamin C improves iron absorption in the body. In addition to iron and vitamin C, kale also scores with its high content of beta-carotenes and he althy mustard oils.

10. Rocket

With its pungent, aromatic flavor, arugula (Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa) is a particularly popular salad plant. The plant not only shines with a low calorie content, but can also convince as an iron-rich vegetable: A total of 1.5 mg of the trace element can be found in 100 g of the iron-rich plant. In addition, the iron-rich vegetables have a highA proportion of he althy mustard oils and is considered a particularly good supplier of beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and calcium - rocket salad not only provides important iron, but also contributes to a he althy diet overall.

Not only iron is essential for keeping our body he althy. In our article on fruit and vegetables with a lot of zinc, we will tell you why we should also ensure an adequate zinc supply and which foods contain a particularly large amount of zinc.