#HealthCastle.com Nutrition Tips - written by Registered Dietitians [spacer.gif] [bannerheader_771.jpg] * HealthCastle Home * Eat Smart & Healthy + Diet Guidelines + Nutrition 101 + Grocery Aisle + Healthy Dine-Out * Cooking Smart + Food of the Month + No More Packaged Foods * Compare Foods + Bread + Breakfast Cereal + Crackers + Ice Cream + Milk (Dairy & Non) + Salad Dressings + Spreads + Yogurt * Foods & Supplements * Health & Nutrition + For Your Heart + Cancer Diet + Diabetes Diet + Osteoporosis + Lose That Weight + High Fiber Foods + Acid Reflux + Diverticulitis + Anemia * Lose That Weight + Foods for Weight Loss + BMI Calculator + Waist to Hip Calculator + Calorie Requirement Calculator * Multimedia & Tools + Podcast + Printable Guides + Calculators + Nutrition Books Tweet Share [taf_button.jpg] Is Spinach a good source of Iron? Written by Gloria Tsang, RD of HealthCastle.com Published in May 2006 spinach iron anemia (HealthCastle.com) Spinach and Iron has been a highly discussed topic in our free nutrition forum. Many readers know that spinach is a source of iron. However they are confused that spinach is said to contain an iron absorption inhibitor as mentioned in our Iron Rich Foods article. Spinach - a source of Iron Spinach is a source of non-heme iron, which is usually found in vegetable sources. Unlike heme iron found in animal products, non-heme iron is not as bioavailable to the body. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one cup of cooked spinach provides ~3.5mg of iron whereas a cup of raw spinach only contains 1 mg of iron. Spinach - also inhibits iron absorption Spinach also contains oxalic acid (sometimes referred as oxalate). Oxalic acid binds with iron, hence inhibiting its absorption. Spinach is not the only food containing high levels of oxalic acid. Whole grains such as buckwheat and amaranth, other vegetables such as chard and rhubarb, as well as beans and nuts all contain significant levels of oxalic acid. spinach iron anemia So Should you or Should you not eat Spinach? You do not need to give it up if you are a spinach lover! Simply eat spinach with any foods containing iron absorption enhancers. Here are some examples: [spacer.gif] [tabletop2lines.gif] [spacer.gif] Iron Absorption Enhancers * Meat, fish, or poultry * Fruits: Orange, Orange Juice, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapefruit and other Vitamin-C rich fruits * Vegetables: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, tomato, tomato juice, potato, green & red peppers * White wine [tabletop2lines.gif] How Much Iron? The recommended iron intake for men and post-menopausal women is 8 mg. The recommended intake for pre-menopausal women is 18 mg and the recommendation increases to 27 mg for pregnant women. 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