Vegetables High in Iron

The human body requires different nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc etc. to function properly. Deficiency of any one of these nutrients, leads to deficiency diseases. These are basically diseases that arise due to dietary deficiencies. All these nutrients are found naturally in vegetables and fruits. Vegetables high in iron, are basically vegetables that have a high iron content, compared to other vegetables.

Why is Iron Important?
Iron is one of the vital components of hemoglobin. This hemoglobin is required by the red blood cells for supplying oxygen to various organs. Deficiency of hemoglobin can lead to various ailments like anemia. Iron also provides energy and helps in the early stages of brain development.

Iron Requirement: Stage Wise
Though everyone needs iron, the amount of iron to be consumed varies at various stages of growth. Babies that are 6-12 months of age, require 11 mg of iron everyday, while children in the 1-12 years age group, should consume about 7-10 mg of iron everyday. Teenage boys require about 11 mg of iron supply daily, whereas teenage girls require 15 mg of iron everyday (as they lose iron during menstruation). Pregnant women require more iron, about 27 mg on daily basis. Those women who are breastfeeding require less iron compared to pregnant women (about 10 mg). Thus, vegetables high in iron should be consumed more by pregnant women. Males above 19 years do not need more than 8 mg of iron on a daily basis.

Vegetables as a Source of Iron
Instead of choosing iron tablets, one can get adequate iron through iron rich foods, especially the vegetables. All vegetables are rich in some or the other nutrients, but some vegetables are specifically known to be rich in iron. Then there are some vegetables that help in easy absorption of iron. These types of vegetables are very beneficial for anemic people. Besides knowing about the foods rich in iron, you should also be aware of the amount of iron these foods contain. Here is a list of vegetables that will tell you just that.

Vegetables That Are High in Iron

Vegetables	Quantity	Iron (mg)
Soybeans	2 cups	30
Cooked Spinach	2 cups	12.8
Swiss Chard (cooked)	2 cups	8
Peas	2 cups	6.76
Chickpeas	2 cups	6.4
Turnip Greens	2 cups	6.4
Collard Greens	2 cups	6.2
Potato	2 large	6
Asparagus	2 cups	5.74
Parsley	1 cup	5.5
Water Cress	2 cups	4.4
Brussels Sprouts	2 cups	3.8
Cooked Pumpkin	2 cups	3.4
Beetroot	2 cups	2.68

Vegetables Having Traces of Iron
Along with the vegetables, there are a few vegetables which contain iron, but not much. These can be perfect supplements to foods high in iron, to ensure that you get your required dose of iron daily.

Vegetables	Quantity	Iron (mg)
Beet Green	2 cups	3.8
Bok Choy	2 cups	3.6
Kombu	2 cups	3.2
Mustard Greens	2 cups	2.9
Kale Cabbage	2 cups	2.6
Broccoli	2 cups	1.21
Cauliflower	2 cups	0.94

Foods High in Iron
Iron rich vegetables and fruits are the healthiest source of iron. Like these vegetables, there are also some fruits that contain adequate iron. These fruits should be an integral part of any iron rich diet. You can include fruits like dates, raisins, watermelons etc. in your diet. Few other items that can be added to this list are beef, oysters, mutton, chicken liver, lentils, etc.

With so many vegetables and fruits around, there are abundant iron rich foods for everyone. So eat these iron rich foods to ensure a healthy and long life!