How Much Iron Does Spinach Really Contain?

Spinach is a tasty and healthy vegetable that contains many valuable vitamins and minerals as well as phytochemicals such as saponins. However, the green leafy plant is not an “iron bomb” – even if this assessment has been a stubborn nutritional myth for decades. According to information from the German Nutrition Society (DGE), 100 grams of fresh spinach contain an average of just 3.4 milligrams of iron. For comparison: chanterelles contain almost twice as much of the mineral.

The myth of iron-rich spinach was first created in 1890. At that time, the physiologist Gustav von Bunge determined a sensationally high iron content of 35 milligrams per 100 grams of spinach. The scientist was not even wrong with this assumption – he had measured the iron content of dried spinach. In fresh vegetables, however, the ingredients are naturally much less concentrated, so the decimal point had to be corrected one place forward. Nevertheless, the spinach myth persisted – the best example is the spinach-eating comic sailor Popeye with fists as strong as iron.

But even if spinach is not as rich in iron as was long thought, it can still be counted as a good source of iron. However, as with all plant products, iron is in a form that is not easy for the body to absorb. But since spinach is also high in vitamin C, the vegetable has a natural “accelerator” for absorbing iron. Spinach also provides beta-carotene and folate. If you are looking for plant-based foods with high iron content, you can also use chanterelles, kidney beans, or soybeans.

However, animal products contain even more or better usable iron. So if you are not a vegetarian or vegan, you can give your body an extra portion of the nutrient with meat. Pork or beef offal is particularly rich in this mineral; it contains up to ten times as much iron as spinach. Another advantage results from the fact that our body can use the iron from animal products much more effectively than that from plant products. This works best with meat from mammals, followed by poultry, fish, and seafood. At the very end are dairy products and fruits and vegetables, including spinach. With a purely plant-based diet, care should be taken not only to consume sufficiently large amounts of iron-rich foods but also plenty of vitamin C. This is particularly important if you have an iron deficiency.