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Is dark chocolate high in iron?

2.4mg iron in 2 squares

11.9 mg per 100 g

  • A good source
  • Non-heme iron
  • Polyphenols

The short answer

On paper, yes: 11.9 mg per 100 g. But two squares (20 g) give about 2.4 mg, 13% of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need, and the polyphenols in cocoa hold plant iron back, so less of it gets in than the number suggests.

  • mg2.4In one portion: 2 squares
  • %13Of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need
  • mg11.9Per 100 g, as eaten

Worth knowingAbout 12 mg per 100 g on paper, but its polyphenols block plant iron.

How it compares

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

  1. Pumpkin seeds2.6 mg
  2. Sardines in olive oil2.6 mg
  3. Split peas2.6 mg
  4. Dark chocolate2.4 mg
  5. Oat porridge2.3 mg
  6. Cashews2 mg
  7. Sun-dried tomatoes1.8 mg

What holds it back

Get more from it

  • The program's ruleHave it between meals, away from plant iron.

Questions

How much iron is in dark chocolate?

About 11.9 mg per 100 g, so 2 squares (20 g) gives about 2.4 mg. The number is from USDA FoodData Central: Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids.

Does dark chocolate block iron absorption?

Its polyphenols bind plant iron in the gut. Heme iron from meat and fish is barely touched. Keep it away from your plant-iron meals.

Sources

  1. USDA FoodData Central: Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids
  2. Hurrell RF, Reddy M, Cook JD. Inhibition of non-haem iron absorption in man by polyphenolic-containing beverages. Br J Nutr, 1999
  3. Brune M, Rossander L, Hallberg L. Iron absorption and phenolic compounds: importance of different phenolic structures. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1989
  4. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: fact sheet for health professionals
  5. 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.