Is coconut milk high in iron?

1mg iron in 4 tbsp

1.6 mg per 100 g

  • Low in iron
  • Non-heme iron

The short answer

No. One portion of coconut milk (4 tbsp) gives about 1 mg of iron, 6% of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need. It is non-heme iron, so only a small share gets in unless a vitamin C helper shares the plate.

  • mg1In one portion: 4 tbsp
  • %6Of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need
  • mg1.6Per 100 g, as eaten

How it compares

Iron per portion, next to the foods closest to it.

  1. Herring1.2 mg
  2. Almonds1.1 mg
  3. Sweet potato1.1 mg
  4. Coconut milk1 mg
  5. Cocoa1 mg
  6. Tomato paste0.9 mg
  7. Kale0.9 mg

Recipes with coconut milk

All recipes

Questions

How much iron is in coconut milk?

About 1.6 mg per 100 g, so 4 tbsp (60 g) gives about 1 mg. The number is from the Swedish Food Agency's database: Kokosmjölk fett ca 24%.

Is the iron in coconut milk easy to absorb?

Less easily than iron from meat or fish. On its own only a small share gets in. A vitamin C helper on the same plate lifts it, and coffee, tea and dairy near the meal hold it back.

What should I eat with coconut milk for iron?

A vitamin C helper on the same plate: lemon juice, red pepper, tomato, parsley or berries. A little meat or fish helps too, if you eat it.

Sources

  1. Swedish Food Agency, food database: Kokosmjölk fett ca 24%
  2. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: fact sheet for health professionals
  3. US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.54: nutrient content claims for "good source" and "high"

Iron is from food tables, for the food as eaten, and real foods vary with the cut, the brand and the recipe. Your body takes in a share of it, and a larger share when your stores are low.

Educational, not medical advice. ferritin.ai does not diagnose or treat any condition. Talk to your doctor about your own results.