Which Lettuce Is Rich in Iron? Unveiling the Best Leafy Greens

January 12, 2026 •

4 min read

Did you know that while spinach is famously rich in iron, certain lettuce varieties also contribute meaningfully to your daily intake? This guide reveals which lettuce is rich in iron, helping you choose the best options for your next healthy meal by understanding the iron content and how to maximize absorption.

Quick Summary

Butterhead and red leaf lettuces contain more iron than other varieties, though total content is moderate compared to other greens. The non-heme iron they provide absorbs best when paired with a source of vitamin C.

Key Points

Best Choice: Butterhead lettuce contains the most iron among common lettuce varieties, making it a top contender for salads.
Absorption Booster: Combining non-heme iron from lettuce with vitamin C-rich foods like tomatoes or bell peppers significantly enhances absorption.
Superior Greens: For a bigger iron boost, incorporate other leafy greens like cooked spinach, which has substantially more iron than any lettuce.
Darker is Better: The general rule that darker, more pigmented greens are more nutrient-dense holds true for lettuce, with red leaf being more nutritious than iceberg.
Cooking Increases Concentration: Cooking leafy greens can sometimes increase their iron concentration by reducing water content, making sautéed greens more potent.
Smart Pairing: Avoid pairing iron-rich meals with calcium-rich dairy or tannin-heavy tea and coffee to prevent inhibited iron absorption.
Beyond Salads: Use butterhead or romaine leaves as wraps or cups for fillings containing other iron-rich ingredients, like lentils or beef, to create iron-boosting meals.

Understanding Iron in Leafy Greens

Iron is an essential mineral vital for producing hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Plant-based foods like lettuce contain non-heme iron, which is less efficiently absorbed by the body than heme iron found in animal products. For this reason, enhancing the absorption of non-heme iron is key for anyone, especially those on a plant-based diet, to meet their daily needs. This is commonly done by pairing iron-rich vegetables with foods high in vitamin C. Certain compounds, such as phytates and tannins found in some foods, can inhibit this absorption, making food pairing an important consideration for maximizing health benefits.

Lettuce Varieties Rich in Iron

Not all lettuces are created equal when it comes to nutritional density. In general, the darker the leaves, the higher the nutrient content, including iron. Here's a breakdown of the most common lettuce types and their iron contributions.

Butterhead Lettuce: The Top Contender

Often sold as Boston or Bibb lettuce, butterhead lettuce stands out as the most nutritious of the common lettuce varieties. Its soft, tender leaves offer a higher concentration of iron compared to iceberg and romaine. A cup of shredded butterhead contains about 8% of the daily value for iron, making it a solid choice for improving your intake from a salad.

Red Leaf Lettuce: A Nutrient-Dense Choice

Red leaf lettuce is known for its vibrant, reddish-purple leaves and impressive nutritional profile. It's a low-calorie, nutrient-dense option that provides more iron than many other lettuces. In addition to its mineral content, it's also packed with antioxidants like anthocyanins and beta-carotene, which offer other health benefits.

Romaine Lettuce: Crunchy and Consistent

Also known as cos lettuce, romaine is a staple salad green prized for its crunchy texture and neutral, slightly sweet flavor. While its iron content is slightly lower than butterhead, it remains a good source, especially when compared to lighter varieties like iceberg. Romaine is also rich in vitamins A and K, and folate, making it an all-around healthy choice.

Other Lettuce Varieties

Iceberg Lettuce: This crisphead lettuce is known for its high water content and is the least nutrient-dense of the common lettuces. It contains only small amounts of iron and other vitamins.
Green Leaf Lettuce: Similar to red leaf but without the reddish pigment, green leaf lettuce offers a moderate iron content.
Stem Lettuce: A less common variety, stem lettuce (or celtuce) has a low iron content compared to other types mentioned here.

Comparison of Lettuce Varieties


Lettuce Variety	Iron Content (per 100g, Raw)	Key Nutrients (Other than Iron)	Notes
Butterhead (Boston/Bibb)	~1.0 mg	Folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin K	Highest iron content among common lettuces.
Red Leaf Lettuce	~0.34 mg (per cup shredded)	Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Antioxidants	Good source of antioxidants, slightly more iron than green leaf.
Romaine Lettuce	~0.9 mg (per 100g)	Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Folate	Sturdy and crunchy, good overall nutritional profile.
Green Leaf Lettuce	~0.34 mg (per cup shredded)	Vitamin K, Vitamin A	All-purpose lettuce, moderate iron.
Iceberg Lettuce	~0.2 mg (per cup chopped)	Vitamin A (lower amounts), Water	Lowest nutrient density, high water content.

Maximizing Iron Absorption from Lettuce

Since the iron in lettuce is non-heme, following these tips can help your body get the most out of it:

Pair with Vitamin C: Add vitamin C-rich foods like bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, or citrus dressing to your salad. The vitamin C helps convert non-heme iron into a more readily absorbed form.
Cook in Cast-Iron Cookware: Cooking plant-based iron-rich foods in a cast-iron skillet can actually increase the iron content of your meal.
Time Your Dairy Intake: Calcium can inhibit iron absorption, so it's best to consume calcium-rich foods like cheese or milk a few hours apart from your main iron-focused meal.
Avoid Tannins: Tannins in tea and coffee can block non-heme iron absorption. If you're focusing on iron, consider drinking these beverages between meals.

Lettuce vs. Other Leafy Greens: Is Spinach Better?

When comparing lettuce to other leafy greens, it's clear that some greens pack a much bigger iron punch. Spinach, for instance, contains about three times more iron per 100 grams than romaine lettuce. Cooked spinach offers an even more concentrated dose of iron. Other dark leafy greens like kale and Swiss chard are also significantly richer in iron than most lettuces. While lettuce remains a healthy option, relying solely on it for your iron needs may not be effective, and incorporating other iron-dense greens is often a better strategy.

Creative Meal Ideas with Lettuce

Here are some ideas for delicious, iron-smart meals featuring lettuce:

Spicy Beef and Lentil Lettuce Cups: Using butterhead or romaine cups, fill with a mixture of lean beef mince and lentils. Add tomatoes and bell peppers for a vitamin C boost. The combination of heme iron (from beef) and non-heme iron (from lentils and lettuce) optimizes absorption.
Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps: Serve tuna salad in butterhead lettuce cups instead of bread for a low-carb, iron-conscious meal. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top to enhance non-heme iron uptake.
Iron-Boosting Smoothies: While it might sound unusual, you can blend romaine lettuce with strawberries and a splash of orange juice for a nutrient-packed smoothie. The high vitamin C content of the berries and juice will help maximize the iron absorption from the lettuce.

Conclusion

When determining which lettuce is rich in iron, the clear winner among common varieties is butterhead lettuce, followed by red leaf lettuce. However, it's crucial to remember that leafy greens provide non-heme iron, which requires careful pairing with enhancers like vitamin C for optimal absorption. Incorporating a variety of leafy greens, including more iron-dense options like spinach, into your diet is the most effective approach for boosting your iron levels. Pairing your lettuce with the right ingredients can make a significant difference, turning a simple salad into a powerful nutritional asset.

Authoritative Source

For more detailed information on iron, including the difference between heme and non-heme sources, visit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Among the common types, butterhead lettuce (including Boston and Bibb varieties) has the highest iron content. It provides more iron than romaine or iceberg lettuce.

The iron in lettuce is non-heme iron, which is less efficiently absorbed than the heme iron found in animal products. To improve absorption, pair lettuce with foods high in vitamin C.

You can boost your iron intake by pairing butterhead or red leaf lettuce with vitamin C-rich ingredients like citrus dressing, strawberries, or bell peppers. You can also use it in meals that combine plant-based and animal-based iron sources.

Yes, spinach is significantly richer in iron than lettuce. Cooked spinach can contain three or more times the amount of iron found in lettuce, making it a far more potent source of the mineral.

Iceberg lettuce contains only small amounts of iron and is the least nutritious of the common lettuce varieties. For a better iron boost, opt for darker, more leafy types.

Generally, darker-colored lettuces tend to be more nutrient-dense than lighter ones. Red leaf lettuce, for example, has a slightly higher iron content than green leaf lettuce, and both contain more than watery iceberg.

While cooking can increase the concentration of nutrients by removing water, the best way to get the most iron from lettuce is to eat it raw with a vitamin C source, as cooking isn't a traditional preparation method and can degrade some nutrients.

Yes, many other plant-based foods are excellent sources of non-heme iron, including lentils, chickpeas, tofu, pumpkin seeds, and dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.