Iron content in spinach: Is it your best option?

Can spinach boost your iron levels? The answer is, “probably not a whole lot.” Spinach is a good source of iron, but if you are iron-deficient you can probably need a stronger strategy.
Low iron is associated with depression. The link between postpartum depression and iron is strong because postpartum women tend more often than the population at large to be deficient in iron. Diet is a great strategy to combat any iron deficiency.
Your best dietary source of iron is actually clam. However, if you are wondering about spinach, clam may not be on your menu. Below is a figure that displays the content of iron in plant-based foods in data collected by the USDA. As a comparison, clam has 132 mg iron in 3.5 ounces.
A complicating factor with getting iron from plant-based foods is that they have substances that block iron absorption. Spinach contains oxalic acid which will reduce the amount of iron you get from your spinach. You can try steaming your spinach to reduce the oxalic acid and help you absorb your iron. You can serve it with a high iron grain like quinoa. However, if you want to get the most iron out of that quinoa, read more about soaking grains to improve your absorption of iron.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday.