Iron in apples isn’t enough to help us meet our daily needs. An apple provides up to 2% of the DV. Apple juice has a low iron content as well. Only dried apples are high in iron, providing 1.4 mg per 100g.
Do apples have iron?
Apples have only 0.12 mg of iron per 100g. A medium apple has 0.24 mg of iron, while a large apple contains up to 0.35 mg of iron. A whole apple provides up to 2% of the Daily Value (DV). Therefore, we can’t depend on apples to meet our daily needs.[1]
Dried apples contain more iron per 100g, though. Uncooked dried apples contain 1.4 mg of iron per 100g. In fact, uncooked dried apples contain almost 12 times more iron than raw apples!
Other favorite dried fruits high in iron are goji berries, raisins, dates, and prunes. Certainly, you should eat dried fruits in moderation. They’re particularly high in sugars and calories.
Is apple juice high in iron?
Apple juice is poor in iron as well. Apple juice contains only 0.12 mg of iron per 100 mL.
You could significantly increase your daily iron intake drinking other fruit juices high in iron, though. For instance, prune and raspberry juices are excellent dietary sources of iron!
Furthermore, the best time to drink fruit juice is in the morning, or before/after exercise. Avoid drinking apple juice before bed. It can make you gain weight.
Which apple variety has more iron?
There are many apple varieties. Each has a slightly different iron content. Most apple varieties have between 0.07 and 0.13 mg of iron per 100g.
Other foods rich in iron
There are many fruits rich in iron. Goji berries, raisins, and prunes have the highest iron content.
Beans (lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, green peas), dark chocolate, spinach, beets, chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, cashews, rice, and whole bread are other common foods high in iron.
How much iron do we need a day?
We need about 8-18 mg of iron per day. Men and women older than 51 years require only 8 mg of iron per day.
However, women of reproductive age, and pregnant women require at least 18 mg and 27 mg of iron a day, respectively. Therefore, they may have a hard time to meet their daily needs from food. They may benefit from taking an iron supplement. You’ll find a wide variety of iron supplements on iHerb.
Always consult your health care provider before taking a dietary supplement or changing your diet.
