Broccoli contains a moderate amount of iron, roughly 4 mg per cup of chopped broccoli (about 91 grams). That’s a meaningful contribution, covering half the daily iron needs for adult men and about 22% for premenopausal women. But the full picture depends on how much of that iron your body actually absorbs, which is where broccoli gets interesting.
How Much Iron Broccoli Provides
A single cup of chopped broccoli delivers around 4 mg of iron. To put that in context, adult men and women over 51 need 8 mg of iron per day, while premenopausal women need 18 mg and pregnant women need 27 mg. So one cup of broccoli can cover a significant chunk of the daily target for some people, though it won’t get you all the way there on its own.
Compared to other plant foods often recommended for iron, broccoli holds up reasonably well. A half cup of cooked spinach provides about 3.4 mg, and three-quarters of a cup of lentils or beans supplies 3.3 to 4.9 mg. Broccoli isn’t the iron powerhouse that red meat or organ meats are, but among vegetables, it earns its place on the list.
The Absorption Problem (and Why Broccoli Sidesteps It)
All plant-based iron is non-heme iron, which the body absorbs far less efficiently than the heme iron found in animal foods. Heme iron has an absorption rate around 25%, while non-heme iron ranges from 0 to 20% depending on what else you eat alongside it. That gap is the main reason plant-based iron sources sometimes get dismissed.
Broccoli, though, has a built-in advantage: it’s naturally rich in vitamin C, which is one of the strongest enhancers of non-heme iron absorption. When vitamin C and non-heme iron are consumed together, absorption improves significantly. Most plant foods force you to think about pairing them with a vitamin C source. Broccoli comes pre-packaged with both.
There’s another factor working in broccoli’s favor. Many leafy greens contain high levels of oxalates or phytates, compounds that bind to minerals and block absorption. Spinach is a classic example: it looks impressive on paper but its high oxalate content means your body captures much less of the iron listed on the label. Broccoli is relatively low in these absorption blockers. In lab studies modeling human digestion, broccoli had an iron bioaccessibility of about 9.7%, which was notably higher than spinach at 6.6%. Cabbage and kale scored even higher (16.2% and 11.8%), but broccoli outperformed the vegetable most people think of first when they hear “iron-rich greens.”
How Cooking Affects Iron in Broccoli
The way you cook broccoli matters, mostly because of what happens to its vitamin C. Boiling broccoli leaches water-soluble vitamins into the cooking water, which most people pour down the drain. That means less vitamin C available to help with iron absorption. Steaming is a better option, retaining up to 90% of the vitamin C content. If you do boil broccoli, using the cooking liquid in a soup or sauce recovers some of those lost nutrients.
Raw broccoli preserves its full vitamin C content, but lightly cooking it can make it easier to eat in larger quantities. Since volume matters for hitting your iron goals, steaming is generally the best compromise between nutrient retention and practicality.
How to Get More Iron From Broccoli
Even with its natural vitamin C, you can push absorption higher by pairing broccoli with other iron-rich foods or additional vitamin C sources. A stir-fry with broccoli, bell peppers, and lentils combines multiple non-heme iron sources with extra vitamin C. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to steamed broccoli is a simple way to boost the effect.
If you eat animal products, combining broccoli with a source of heme iron (like chicken or beef) also enhances non-heme iron absorption. The heme iron essentially pulls the non-heme iron along with it during digestion.
On the flip side, certain foods and drinks interfere with iron absorption when consumed at the same meal. Coffee, tea, and calcium-rich foods like dairy can reduce how much non-heme iron your body takes up. If iron is a priority, spacing these out from your broccoli-heavy meals helps.
Where Broccoli Fits in an Iron-Rich Diet
Broccoli alone won’t meet your daily iron needs, but no single food realistically does for most people. Its real value is as a consistent, easy-to-prepare contributor that stacks well with other sources. Someone eating a cup of broccoli alongside lentils and a few other iron-containing foods throughout the day can comfortably reach the 8 mg target for men, and make a solid dent in the 18 mg target for premenopausal women.
For people following a vegetarian or vegan diet, broccoli is especially useful because of that vitamin C advantage. Many plant-based iron sources require careful meal planning to optimize absorption. Broccoli simplifies that equation. It won’t replace legumes or fortified cereals as primary iron sources, but as a supporting player that shows up in stir-fries, salads, grain bowls, and side dishes, it contributes more iron than most people realize.