Iron is essential for forming red blood cells, keeping your gastrointestinal system healthy, and regulating your body temperature.
Therefore, it's vitally important you include enough iron-rich foods and drinks in your diet to reach your optimum daily intake.
Luckily, some delicious fruit juices are both rich in iron and easy to incorporate into your current meal plan.
Many fruit juices contain enough iron to help you hit your ideal daily iron intake, although vegetable juices tend to have even more.
Besides iron, these juices are also rich in other minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that benefit your health. And freshly squeezed are best, as they don't contain any added sugar or preservatives.
Table of Contents
15 Fruit Juices That Are Rich in Iron
1. Prune
Prunes and prune juice are often recommended for people trying to increase their iron intake and prevent anemia.
One cup of prune juice contains 3 mg of iron, around 17% of the recommended daily intake.
Prune juice also contains vitamins C, K, and B6, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, and copper. These nutrients may help with high blood pressure and clotting and keep your immune and cardiovascular systems healthy.
2. Apricot
One cup of apricot juice contains 1 mg of iron, or 5% of the recommended daily intake.
Apricot juice also contains some vitamin C, which aids with iron absorption, especially the non-heme iron from fruits and vegetables.
This delicious juice is low in calories and contains good amounts of vitamin A, fiber, potassium, copper, and antioxidants, reducing your risk of developing eye issues and high blood pressure.
3. Blackberry
A cup of blackberry juice provides you with 1.2 mg of iron. It also contains vitamins C, E, and K, magnesium, potassium, and copper.
Freshly squeezed blackberry juice also has a lot of antioxidants, which boost your immune system and help flush out free radicals, reducing your risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
4. Strawberry
A glass of strawberry juice contains about 1.1 mg of iron and a good amount of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and antioxidants.
5. Tomato
One cup of tomato juice contains 1 mg of iron, or 6% of the recommended daily intake. It also contains vitamins A, C, B6, folate, potassium, and manganese.
Tomato juice is rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that increases your skin's resistance to the sun, improves heart health, and reduces your risk of developing some cancers.
6. Peach
One cup of peach juice contains 0.5 mg of iron. It’s also rich in vitamins A, C, niacin, copper, and potassium.
Freshly squeezed peach juice is also high in antioxidants that may reduce your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
7. Plum
One cup of plum juice contains about 17% of the recommended daily iron intake. It also contains a lot of potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and antioxidants.
Studies suggest that plum juice may reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and help alleviate depression and anxiety.
8. Mulberry
A glass of mulberry juice packs a lot of iron, around 55% of the recommended daily intake. It also contains vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and, if freshly squeezed, antioxidants.
Some studies suggest that mulberry juice may improve blood sugar levels, contribute to healthy bones, and promote brain health.
9. Watermelon
A glass of watermelon juice contains around 0.6 mg of iron. It also contains a lot of vitamin A, potassium, and some calcium.
Research suggests that watermelon juice may reduce muscle cramping after exercise and lower blood pressure.
10. Kiwi
A glass of kiwi juice contains about 4% of the recommended daily iron intake. It’s also extremely rich in vitamin C.
Kiwi juice also contains a lot of fiber, vitamin A, calcium, and antioxidants.
Some experts believe that kiwi juice can reduce your risk of blood clots, keep your heart healthy, and improve digestion.
11. Melon
This low-calorie juice is another great source of iron, with one glass containing 5% of the recommended daily iron intake. It’s also rich in vitamins A, C, and potassium, reducing your risk of developing high blood pressure and night blindness.
Fresh melon juice also contains antioxidants that reduce inflammation and boost your immune system.
12. Raspberry
One cup of raspberry juice contains around 0.4 mg of iron. It also contains good amounts of vitamin C, potassium, and calcium.
13. Orange
One cup of orange juice contains about 0.5 mg of iron, around 4% of the recommended daily intake. It also has good amounts of vitamins A and C, thiamin, magnesium, potassium, and copper.
14. Grapefruit
One glass of grapefruit juice contains about 0.5 mg of iron, 4% of the recommended daily intake. It also has high levels of vitamins A and C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and copper.
Grapefruit juice is low in calories, and studies suggest that it may benefit your immune system, help with weight control, and relieve diabetic symptoms.
15. Green Juices
Green juices are usually made with vegetables, but some also contain fruit. Some of these juices have up to 40% of the recommended daily iron intake in just one glass.
Conclusion
The juices above can certainly help you increase your iron intake, and they're all delicious and easily added to your diet.
Fruit juices are also loaded with vitamins, other minerals, and antioxidants, especially if they're freshly squeezed.
Sources: Nutrition Data, National Library of Medicine, Research Gate, and Science Direct