We have heard many people ask – how much iron does broccoli have?
Since iron deficiency is such a hot topic among vegans, it only makes sense that there’s a wide interest in incorporating more foods that contain this essential mineral.
After all, iron is responsible for delivering oxygen to your cells and organs. You need it to prevent certain symptoms of a deficiency such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, and lightheadedness.
Fortunately, broccoli is one of those foods that has a decent iron content. So how much iron does broccoli have? And is broccoli a good source of iron? Let’s find out!
How Much Iron Does Broccoli Have?
Broccoli supplies up to 1 milligram of iron to your body with every cup of this steamed cruciferous. This should add to your body’s need for this mineral.
Depending on your age range, you may need between 8 and 18 milligrams of iron. For instance, men over 19 years old need 8 milligrams of iron while women in the same age bracket need 10 milligrams.
So, by simply eating a cup of steamed broccoli, you are getting up to 10 percent of the total RDI for this mineral.
Is Broccoli High In Iron?
It is true that broccoli does contain iron. However, the broccoli iron amount is not as high as what you can get from other vegetables.
For instance, spinach and kale has about 6 milligrams of iron. Swiss chard and beet greens are a good source of up to 2.7 milligrams of this mineral.
On the other hand, a serving of broccoli when steamed only has 1 milligram.
Still, it is worth adding broccoli to your diet because it does have this mineral, as well as other nutrients your body needs.
To further boost the iron content in broccoli, you can combine it with other iron-rich foods such as kale, spinach, tofu, and beans. That’s already a fun dish right there, which can be sauteed and eaten at lunch or dinner!
Broccoli Iron Content – Non-Heme Iron
As with other iron-rich vegetables, the type of iron broccoli has is non-heme. What this means is that it is not always easy for your body to absorb.Hence, it is typically less available, and your body can absorb up to 20 percent of non-heme iron.
Hence, it is important to eat broccoli and other sources of non-heme iron with vitamin C-rich foods to promote better absorption.
These foods are citrus, tomatoes, bell pepper, and potatoes, to name a few. Then, it is not a matter of how much iron in broccoli but how much of this mineral your body can absorb.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend you to take iron supplements if the iron in broccoli and other non-heme iron sources are not good enough. Otherwise, you may suffer from iron deficiency, which can pose various symptoms that can impact your performance each day.
Bottom Line
Broccoli is a nutritious food that’s easy to prepare and enjoy.
Moreover, it has some iron content in it, which makes it a good food to add to your vegan diet. Be sure to add in some other vegetables that can boost the amount of iron you get.
And also, you may want to seek professional advice if iron supplements may be a necessity for your condition. If you need to boost your iron levels, eating broccoli each day may not suffice, yet a simple iron supplement should help.