Many people don’t get enough iron in their diets, which could lead to anemia or other health problems.
Luckily, there are many foods rich in iron that can contribute to a healthy, balanced diet. Many leafy greens fall into this category, but do they all?
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Is Cabbage High or Low in Iron?
In general, cabbage is a poor source of iron; however, some varieties contain more than others.
Cabbage is still an excellent addition to your diet, as it's full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, all of which contribute to your health.
How Much Iron Is in Cabbage?
One cup of raw cabbage contains 0.4 mg of iron, 3% of the recommended daily intake. After cooking, this reduces to 0.2 mg, or around 1% of the recommended daily intake.
However, cabbage contains vitamin K, fiber, antioxidants, folate, and manganese.
It also contains a lot of vitamin C, which aids iron absorption, so eating cabbage with iron-rich foods helps you absorb more of the available iron in your meal.
Can You Get Enough Iron from Cabbage?
Cabbage contains only a tiny amount of iron, so you're unlikely to reach your recommended daily intake by eating it.
Is Red Cabbage High in Iron?
A one-cup serving of raw red cabbage contains 0.7 mg of iron, or 5% of the recommended daily intake. Cooking it increases the iron in that serving to 1 mg, or 8% of the recommended daily intake.
Red cabbage not only has a higher amount of iron than regular cabbage, it's also a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K, and potassium.
Is Napa Cabbage High in Iron?
A one-cup serving of cooked napa cabbage contains about 0.8 mg of iron, around 5% of the recommended daily intake. This is slightly higher than regular cabbage, but still not enough to boost your iron intake appreciably.
It's also a good source of folate, manganese, and copper.
Napa cabbage can be eaten raw, added to soups, or grilled. It’s also used to wrap dumplings in some countries.
Is Savoy Cabbage High in Iron?
One cup of chopped savoy cabbage contains about 0.3 mg of iron, around 2% of the recommended daily intake. The same serving of cooked contains about 0.6 mg of iron, 4% of the recommended daily intake.
Savoy cabbage is much milder and sweeter than regular cabbage, and its ruffled leaves make it a great choice in stir fries.
Is Chinese Cabbage (Pak Choi) High in Iron?
One cup of shredded raw pak choi contains about 0.6 mg of iron, or 4% of the recommended daily intake. The same serving of cooked cabbage provides 1.8 mg, or 10% of the recommended daily intake. This makes pak choi one of the best iron sources among cabbages.
Pak choi also contains a lot of calcium, potassium, manganese, vitamins A, C, and K, and folate.
Is Cabbage Soup High in Iron?
One cup of cabbage soup has about 3% of the recommended daily iron intake.
This serving also contains around 29% of the recommended daily allowance of sodium, which can cause high blood pressure and strokes.
However, cabbage soup contains many nutrients that are good for your gut, such as probiotics, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.
Home-made cabbage soup is a healthy addition to a balanced diet as long as you don’t add too much salt.
Is Sauerkraut High in Iron?
A one-cup serving of drained sauerkraut contains 2.1 mg of iron, 12% of the recommended daily intake. This is much better than other cabbage dishes, especially as it only has around 27 calories.
Like many fermented foods, sauerkraut is rich in bacteria that benefit your digestive system. It also contains a lot of vitamin C, fiber, vitamin K, and manganese.
It is, however, high in sodium, so add it to your diet sparingly.
Conclusion
Cabbage contains only a tiny amount of iron, so it's not going to boost your iron intake by much.
However, eating cabbage can increase your intake of other essential nutrients and beneficial plant compounds.
Sources: Nutrition Data, Research Gate, and National Library of Medicine