Peas may be tiny, but they deliver a solid amount of iron for a plant food. A one-cup serving of cooked green peas supplies about 2.35 mg of iron, which can cover 13–29% of an adult's daily requirement, depending on gender and age. That makes peas a smart addition to vegetarian, vegan, or simply iron-conscious meal plans.
This Pea Iron Calculator converts your serving size in grams, ounces, cups, or tablespoons, then estimates the iron content based on the pea type you choose—cooked, raw, frozen, or canned. It also offers optional absorption adjustments for vitamin C–rich foods and tea or coffee, since these can significantly change how much non-heme iron your body actually absorbs. You'll also see the contribution toward the adult male and female RDAs.
Whether you're tracking micronutrients for a diet plan, building a plant-forward menu, or just curious about the green side of your plate, this tool gives you a fast, evidence-informed estimate.
🍃 Pea Iron Calculator
Estimate the iron in your pea serving and see how much your body may actually absorb.
How to Use This Tool
Enter the amount of peas in grams, ounces, cups, or tablespoons. Then choose the pea type: cooked green peas, raw peas, frozen peas, or canned peas. If you are not sure which to pick, cooked green peas is the default because it is how most people eat them.
The optional absorption settings make the result more personal. Tick With vitamin C-rich food if your meal includes citrus, tomatoes, bell peppers, or broccoli. Tick With tea or coffee if you drink a caffeinated beverage within about an hour of the meal, because tannins and polyphenols can reduce non-heme iron absorption. The calculator then estimates absorbed iron, not just total iron.
Press Calculate to see the serving weight, total iron content, RDA percentages for adult men and women, and the estimated absorbed iron. Reset clears all fields.
Iron in Peas: Reference Values
Values below are based on standard USDA nutrient reference data for common pea preparations. Exact numbers vary slightly by variety and cooking method, but these are reliable planning anchors.
| Pea preparation | Iron per 100 g | Grams per cup | Iron per cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green peas, cooked | 1.47 mg | 160 g | 2.35 mg |
| Green peas, raw | 1.47 mg | 145 g | 2.13 mg |
| Frozen peas, cooked | 1.53 mg | 170 g | 2.60 mg |
| Canned peas, drained | 1.13 mg | 170 g | 1.92 mg |
If you track other vegetables' iron, the parsnip iron calculator gives you a similar estimate for a different root vegetable.
How the Calculation Works
The calculator first converts your serving size into grams using standard food weights, then multiplies by the iron density of the selected pea type:
For example, a 160-gram cup of cooked green peas has (160 ÷ 100) × 1.47 = 2.35 mg of iron. Compared with the RDA—8 mg for adult men and women over 50, and 18 mg for premenopausal adult women—this cup supplies about 29% of a man's daily need and 13% of a woman's.
Peas provide non-heme iron, which the body absorbs less efficiently than heme iron from meat. The default absorption factor here is 10%, a reasonable middle value for non-heme iron. Vitamin C raises it to 15%; tea or coffee lowers it to 6%. Absorbed iron = total iron × absorption factor.
Worked Example
Situation: A 1-cup serving of cooked green peas with tofu, rice, and roasted red peppers, plus no coffee.
Step 1: 1 cup converts to 160 g.
Step 2: Total iron = 1.6 × 1.47 = 2.35 mg.
Step 3: That is 29% of the adult male RDA and 13% of the premenopausal female RDA.
Step 4: With vitamin C from peppers and no inhibitor, the estimated absorbed iron = 2.35 × 0.15 = 0.35 mg.
This example shows why pairing peas with vitamin C can meaningfully improve the amount your body uses, while a cup of coffee with dinner can blunt it.
Tips for Better Iron Absorption
- Pair peas with vitamin C. Lemon juice, tomatoes, bell peppers, and strawberries all help convert non-heme iron into a more absorbable form.
- Move tea and coffee away from meals. Their tannins and polyphenols can cut non-heme iron absorption by up to half; try drinking them between meals instead.
- Add a small amount of animal protein. Meat, fish, or poultry in the same meal can enhance plant iron absorption.
- Do not rely on peas alone. Spinach, lentils, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds are denser iron sources; peas are one useful contributor in a varied diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are peas a good source of iron? Yes—a cup of cooked green peas provides roughly 13–29% of an adult's daily iron need, depending on gender and age. Because the iron is non-heme, absorption varies, but peas still add up across a balanced diet.
Why do the RDA targets differ? Premenopausal women need more iron (18 mg/day) to cover menstrual losses. Adult men and postmenopausal women have a lower target (8 mg/day). Choose the column that matches you, or just look at total milligrams.
Are frozen peas less nutritious? Not usually. Frozen peas are flash-frozen soon after harvest and can be comparable to fresh—sometimes slightly higher in iron per 100 g. Canned peas generally lose a little iron through processing and draining.
Does the calculator account for cooking water? Yes. The cooked and frozen values are based on boiled, drained peas, so water loss is already reflected in the per-100-gram density.