How to Cook Spinach for Maximum Iron

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database reports that spinach is rich in iron -- each cup of cooked spinach contains 6.4 milligrams of the vital mineral. For a man, that amount provides 80 percent of his recommended daily allowance of iron; for a woman, it contains 35 percent of her daily requirement. However, the iron in plant-based foods such as spinach is non-heme iron, a form that isn't absorbed as well as the heme iron in animal products. The body may absorb as little as 3 percent of the non-heme iron in spinach, says the Colorado State University Extension. By cooking spinach with certain foods though, you can maximize the amount of iron you absorb.


Use a cast iron skillet when you cook spinach, or other foods, because this can significantly increase their iron content, says Columbia University Health on the Go Ask Alice website. Heat only a small amount of oil in the skillet and use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir the spinach and increase the skillet's contact with the vegetable.


Eat spinach with an animal protein. Add poultry, pork, beef or fish, for example, salmon. Choose lean beef for the largest increase in non-heme iron absorption.


Add a food rich in vitamin C to the skillet along with the spinach. Pick a quick-cooking fruit or vegetable, such as diced tomatoes or chopped bell pepper, a small amount of tomato sauce or a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice.