Mulberries are a small but mighty fruit — they pack more iron than most common berries, making them a handy addition to plant-based and iron-conscious diets. The Mulberry Iron Calculator estimates the iron content of your serving by weight or volume, then converts it to a percentage of your daily iron target so you can see at a glance how much this fruit contributes to your needs.
Enter the amount of mulberries you plan to eat — in grams, ounces, cups, or handfuls — and the calculator applies the standard USDA value of 2.59 mg of iron per 100 g of raw mulberries. It also breaks down the serving weight, total iron in milligrams, and the share of your daily value (DV), using the FDA adult DV of 18 mg unless you enter your own target.
This tool is useful for nutrition students, dietitians, vegans and vegetarians tracking non-heme iron, and anyone curious about the micronutrient profile of this underrated fruit.
🍇 Mulberry Amount
⚙️ Daily Iron Target
FDA adult DV = 18 mg. Change this if you track a personal target.
📊 Your Results
Based on 2.59 mg iron per 100 g raw mulberries (USDA).
How to Use This Tool
Using the calculator takes less than a minute:
- Enter the amount of mulberries in the number field — the tool accepts grams, ounces, cups, or handfuls.
- Choose the matching unit from the dropdown. Tip: one metric cup of raw mulberries weighs about 140 g, and a typical handful is around 60 g.
- Adjust the daily iron target if you want to personalize the result. The default is 18 mg, the FDA Daily Value used on nutrition labels for adults.
- Hit Calculate Iron to see milligrams of iron, the percentage of your daily target, and the exact serving weight used.
You can also tap a preset chip (100 g, 1 cup, handful, etc.) to fill the fields instantly. The result box includes a progress bar so you can judge the serving's contribution at a glance.
Iron Content Reference
Raw mulberries are unusually iron-rich for a fruit. The table below shows typical values based on the USDA nutrient database (2.59 mg of iron per 100 g). Percentages use the 18 mg adult DV.
| Serving | Weight | Iron (mg) | % DV (18 mg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handful | 60 g | 1.55 mg | 9% |
| ½ cup | 70 g | 1.81 mg | 10% |
| ¾ cup | 105 g | 2.72 mg | 15% |
| 100 g | 100 g | 2.59 mg | 14% |
| 1 cup | 140 g | 3.63 mg | 20% |
For comparison, the same 100 g serving of raw strawberries provides about 0.41 mg of iron, and raw blueberries about 0.28 mg. Mulberries are in a different league among berries.
The Math Behind the Estimate
The tool uses a simple linear conversion based on the USDA FoodData Central value of 2.59 mg of iron per 100 grams of raw mulberries:
Iron (mg) = weight (g) × 2.59 ÷ 100
To get the percentage of daily value, divide the result by your daily target and multiply by 100: % DV = iron (mg) ÷ daily target × 100.
Volume conversions rely on a standard density of 140 g per metric cup of raw mulberries, the figure used by the USDA for a cup of whole berries. Because real berries vary in size and moisture, the estimate is typically within a few percent of the true value — good enough for meal planning and diet logging.
The 2.59 mg/100 g figure comes from the USDA FoodData Central database. For more on iron requirements and bioavailability, see the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements iron fact sheet.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — 200 g of fresh mulberries. Multiply 200 by 2.59 and divide by 100: 200 × 2.59 ÷ 100 = 5.18 mg of iron. Against the 18 mg target, that is 5.18 ÷ 18 × 100 ≈ 28.8% of the daily value. A 200 g bowl covers nearly a third of an adult's daily iron need.
Example 2 — ½ cup (70 g) added to yogurt. 70 × 2.59 ÷ 100 = 1.81 mg of iron, about 10.1% of the DV. Modest on its own, but combined with fortified oatmeal or lentils it stacks up quickly.
Example 3 — 3.5 oz (about 99 g). 99 × 2.59 ÷ 100 ≈ 2.57 mg, about 14.3% of the DV — the same ballpark as a 100 g serving.
Tips for Better Iron Absorption
Mulberries contain non-heme iron, the plant form that the body absorbs less efficiently than the heme iron from meat. You can improve absorption by pairing mulberries with vitamin C — a handful of strawberries, citrus fruit, or a squeeze of lemon juice does the trick. Avoid drinking tea, coffee, or red wine in the same meal, as tannins can reduce iron uptake. Calcium from dairy can also compete with iron absorption, which is why the yogurt-and-mulberry combo, while tasty, is not the most iron-optimized pairing.
If you track iron intentionally, remember that needs vary by age, sex, and pregnancy status — menstruating women need roughly double the iron of adult men, so a personalized target makes this calculator more meaningful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are fresh or dried mulberries higher in iron? Per 100 g, dried mulberries are denser in every nutrient, including iron, because water is removed. However, serving sizes are usually smaller for dried fruit, so a typical 30 g snack of dried mulberries provides roughly 1 mg of iron. This calculator uses fresh raw mulberries; if you log a different form, adjust the weight accordingly.
Can mulberries replace spinach as a plant-based iron source? Spinach provides about 2.7 mg per 100 g raw, so mulberries (2.59 mg) are genuinely comparable. Neither is a complete substitute for a varied diet, but both are useful non-heme iron contributors.
How do I know my daily iron target? The FDA uses 18 mg as the Daily Value on labels, which reflects the higher needs of menstruating women. Adult men need about 8 mg per day. Use the advanced field to set the number that fits your situation, ideally with guidance from a health professional.
Interested in the full nutrient picture of this berry? See the Mulberry Sugar per 100g Calculator for its carbohydrate profile, or compare another plant-based iron source with the Sweet Potato Iron Calculator.