RDA of IRON??

MermaidKatie

Is it even possible to get the RDA of iron from food sources without blowing your fat allowance? If so, any tips and tricks would be helpful? And please don't say eat liver. (((Shudder))). That's impossible.

carolemack

It's not possible for me...my Doctor put me on a daily iron supplement. I share your opinion on liver (((shudder)))!

MaxPower0102

I take an Iron Supplement once every 3 days. It is a 65mg tab that give me like 400% of the RDA.

jessicapk

Most definitely! Remember your green leafy vegetables. Not all iron comes from meat.

autumnblade75

How about a single serving of Multi-Grain Cheerios?

enterdanger

I ate a huge spinach salad yesterday for lunch and had meat at dinner and still didn't hit the rda for Iron.

sullus

Cold Cereal. Most brands have between 50 and 100% of your RDA in a bowl.

ETA: Clams as well. 100g of clams has 2g fat, 150 Calories and 155% of your iron.

madrose0715

I was diagnosed as anemic 2 years ago, and through diet and a supplement went from that status to low-normal. Just google it. Tons of info available.

jessicapk

I second the cereal posts, too! They are a great way to get plenty of iron and other nutrients that are hard to get, like fiber, if you choose the right ones.

sullus

enterdanger wrote: »

I ate a huge spinach salad yesterday for lunch and had meat at dinner and still didn't hit the rda for Iron.

Dark Chocolate has more iron per 100g than either of those items ...

Spinach doesn't actually have a lot of iron.

100g chocolate = 44% RDA of Iron
100g Steak = 13%
100g Spinach = 4%

Sure in practical terms you're going to eat 200g of steak vs 15g of chocolate in a sitting. So a normal serving of steak is 26% of your daily iron vs 6% for chocolate ..

But chocolate is still a great way to get iron.

MermaidKatie

Chocolate = iron. I like it I haven't been eating cereal because I've been ramping up the vitamins and calcium at breakfast with an almond milk smoothie, but I'll check into it. Cereal, it's what's for dinner. Thanks!!

missmudy

What I've read is that spinach and chocolate contain oxalates, which impair iron absorption.

Edit: That probably doesn't add much to the conversation My main sources of iron are lentils and beans, seeds (I know, not the low fat option you were looking for), and blackstrap molasses in my wheat free steal cut oats. I also try to pair foods containing vitamin c with iron rich foods and cook with a cast iron pan when I can.

That said, I'm also looking for tips. I haven't had my iron levels tested in a few years but I was once anemic and would like to stay healthy without much supplementation if I can.

andielyn

Grape Nuts. 100% of your daily iron. It's supplemental, obviously, so not strictly "food source". I battle anemia and I hate taking iron supplements.

hgycta

1 cup of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal has 160 calories and 80% of your RDA for iron, it's fantastic! Whenever I need iron, I almost always turn to dry cereal, as it makes for a fantastic and convenient snack on the go. The body is very intelligent and complex though, and if you're iron deficient you will actually absorb more iron than if you already have sufficient stores. Also, if you consume iron with vitamin C it helps you to absorb more of it (versus calcium, which reverses this effect). Iron from animal products is also absorbed more readily than the non-heme iron found in cereals, but I've been relying on cereal to provide me with my iron intake (again, dry, since the calcium in milk will offset this), and my iron levels are always find when I get my blood work done.

TheDevastator

If you need to up your iron, clams and oysters have a lot. Smoked oysters taste great if you like smoked fish and they are fairly cheap.