﻿CIRCULAR No. 205 FEBRUARY, 1932 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 WASHINGTON, D. C. 



THE IRON CONTENT OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS 



By Hazel K. Stieeeling, Senior Food Economist, Division of Economics, Bureau 



of Home Economics ^ 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Introduction 1 



Method of analysis 2 



Selection and preparation of samples 3 



Description cf samples 3 



Table 1. — The iron content of vegetables and 



fruits -- 8 



Page 



Discussion of results 18 



Table 2.— Fresh vegetables and fruits classified 



as sources of iron 18 



Literature cited 19 



INTRODUCTION 



Few systematic studies of the iron content of our common vegetables 

 and fruits iiave been made. In 1907 the United States Department 

 of Agriculture (14) ^ published figures obtained in connection with 

 metabolism experiments and an experimental dietary study, and in- 

 cluded a few data taken from the earlier literature. Further figures 

 have been presented by Sherman (15). They are mainly the results of 

 previously unpublished analyses made in his laboratories, but in some 

 cases they are averages which include data published or quoted in his 

 earlier publications. In 1928 Peterson and Elvehjem (12) reported 

 figures for a wide variety of food materials, including many vegetables 

 and fruits. Scattered in the literature are a few further data on the 

 iron content of vegetables which appear to be reliable. Some of these 

 refer to products grown in specified localities; others were secured in 

 connection with studies of the losses of mineral elements in cookery or 

 in connection with studies of nutritional anemia. 



For normal nutrition the food must supply iron in generous amounts, 

 together with all other elements or substances which are needed for the 

 assimhlation of iron and for the construction of the complex iron con- 

 taining body substances. As an essential constituent of hemo- 

 globin, and also in other forms, iron is intimately concerned with 

 metabolic processes controlling life and development. 



It has frequently been pointed out that the liberal use of vegetables 

 and fruits notably mcreases the iron content of a diet in forms which 

 appear to be readily utilized, without significantly increasing its pro- 

 tein or fuel value. But in the light of their analytical results Peter- 

 son and Elvehjem (12) questioned whether the value of vegetables and 

 fruits as sources of food iron has generally been fully appreciated. 

 In as much as these food materials are gradually assuming greater 

 prominence in American diets, and as the data regarding their iron 



1 The analyses reported in this circular, unless otherwise indicated, were made by the author in 1929 in the 

 department of chemistry of Columbia University where she was then research assistant in food chemistry. 

 Grateful acknowledgment is made to H. C. Sherman, who suggested and directed this research. 



2 Italic numbers in parentheses refer to Literature Cited, p. 19. 



80151°— 32 1 



