Desperate for some high iron foods.

Options
CookieDoughYummy
CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
in Food and Nutrition
I've just got back from the doctors and they're thinking about putting me on iron tablets because I sometimes have heavy periods and they said I'm verging on dangerously low iron levels.

I'm not a lover of taking tablets for anything unless it's absolutely necessary. If it's possible for me to sort it out without them then I'd rather do that.

So, I'm looking for some Iron rich foods that I don't need to eat major amounts of to get a decent amount :P

Any suggestions will be immensely appreciated :)
«1

Replies

  • Apocalypz
    Apocalypz Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    Beans, egg, spinach, prunes, liver, artichokes ...
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    Below is a link to iron content in foods

    http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/nutrients/report/nutrientsfrm?max=25&offset=0&totCount=0&nutrient1=22&nutrient2=&nutrient3=&subset=0&fg=&sort=c&measureby=m
  • CookieDoughYummy
    CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
    Options
    Below is a link to iron content in foods

    http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/nutrients/report/nutrientsfrm?max=25&offset=0&totCount=0&nutrient1=22&nutrient2=&nutrient3=&subset=0&fg=&sort=c&measureby=m

    Just what I was looking for, thanks so much :)
  • MapleFlavouredMaiden
    MapleFlavouredMaiden Posts: 595 Member
    Options
    Liver. Really, it's the perfect food for this situation. Also, desiccated liver tablets are very good if you can't stomach liver or even along with eating it every now and then. They help me so much.
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
    Options
    Make sure when you eat foods like beans, spinach, and other plant based iron rich foods that you also eat something high in Vitamin C so that your body can absorb it. This is only with plant based iron rich foods. If you eat red meat and other meats, then you don't have to worry about iron absorption.
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
    Options
    I've been turned down many times in the past donating blood due to my low iron. No more, as I get lots of dark green veggies in.
    Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are also an excellent source of easily -assimilated iron. Take iron pills as a last resort - they're always lab-created junk. I couldn't stomach liver if someone paid me. I don't eat animal organs, thank you very much !
  • alyjb1121
    alyjb1121 Posts: 186 Member
    Options
    Cereal and bread, I know not great suggestions it seems but I do low calorie bread and the cereal in moderation as an add-in to yogurt etc as I have just recently been adding iron because of my low levels also. The low iron level had me exhausted and cold all the time [I may be anemic, I am planning on being tested] but just increasing iron made a lot of difference!! Good Luck!
  • CookieDoughYummy
    CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
    Options
    Liver. Really, it's the perfect food for this situation. Also, desiccated liver tablets are very good if you can't stomach liver or even along with eating it every now and then. They help me so much.

    I don't think I could stomach plain liver, may be able to if I blended it in with a lean burger or something :P
  • shel0158
    shel0158 Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    You can boost the iron intake from foods by cooking in a cast iron skillet.
  • CookieDoughYummy
    CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
    Options
    I've been turned down many times in the past donating blood due to my low iron. No more, as I get lots of dark green veggies in.
    Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are also an excellent source of easily -assimilated iron. Take iron pills as a last resort - they're always lab-created junk. I couldn't stomach liver if someone paid me. I don't eat animal organs, thank you very much !

    I feel the same way, anything in tablet form just doesn't seem natural to me. Pumpkin seeds is a good one, I actually like those :P
  • CookieDoughYummy
    CookieDoughYummy Posts: 58
    Options
    You can boost the iron intake from foods by cooking in a cast iron skillet.

    Really? I've never heard of that. Is it safe?
  • herangel3
    herangel3 Posts: 32
    Options
    You can boost the iron intake from foods by cooking in a cast iron skillet.

    this ^
  • thinkpositive92
    thinkpositive92 Posts: 111 Member
    Options
    Lol good idea!! Eat all the iron you can get! I just got put on iron tablets a few weeks ago.. and my oh my are they horrible. :sad:
  • Mof3wc
    Mof3wc Posts: 126 Member
    Options
    And try not to eat your iron rich foods with dairy products, it prevents the iron from absorbing.

    Iron pills are so hard on the stomache. If you do end up having to take something, try liquid iron. It's far nicer on the system.
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,222 MFP Moderator
    Options
    You can boost the iron intake from foods by cooking in a cast iron skillet.

    Really? I've never heard of that. Is it safe?

    :huh:

    Yes.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Options
    I'm really aware of Iron in foods because I have high iron, and need to avoid it. Keep in mind there's 2 kinds of Iron: Heme(meat) and Non-Heme(vegetable). We do not absorb Non-Heme iron as well as heme iron, so an amount of iron from spinach does not help you as much as the same amount from say, beef.

    2 of the highest Iron foods I can think of are:
    Clams. If you like clams, they are ridiculously high in iron.
    Breakfast Cereal. Most brands have 50 to 100% of your daily iron.

    Another poster mentioned that dairy interferes with the absorption of iron - so do Tannins. Red Wine and Black/oolong tea will block about 80% of the iron eaten with it from being absorbed.

    ETA: I've been poking around and there's some good news: Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder have significantly more iron per 100g than 100g of: Tofu (9x more), Spinach/Kale (4.5x more), Beef (4.5x more), and lentils (3x more). It has about the same iron content as Squash/Pumpkin Seeds
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Options
    You can boost the iron intake from foods by cooking in a cast iron skillet.

    this ^

    Only for vegetables, not meat. This only increases iron on non-heme iron foods.

    http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/dietary_sources_iron.html
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,020 Member
    Options
    You can boost the iron intake from foods by cooking in a cast iron skillet.

    this ^

    Only for vegetables, not meat. This only increases iron on non-heme iron foods.

    http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/dietary_sources_iron.html

    I think you're misinterpreting the article. It lists three ways to increase the absorption of iron from non-heme iron foods (eat with vitamin C, eat with heme iron foods, or cook in iron pan). It says nothing about the effects of cooking heme iron foods in iron pans. Iron will leach out of the pan and into whatever you cook in it, more if the food or ingredients are acidic, less if they are not.
  • Resoir
    Resoir Posts: 117
    Options
    Chia seeds. You could make Chia pudding and eat as a snack or as breakfast or make your own strawberry jam with chia seeds. I eat it everyday.

    http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=chia pudding
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Options
    I had bad anaemia following pregnancy/childbirth twice (and i only have 2 kids lol)

    what helped was eating meals that have both red meat and green vegetables plus drinking orange juice. The red meat and green vegetables both contain iron, and vitamin C helps the iron to be absorbed,. I was taking supplements as well.

    I like stuff like curry, so I'd make a curry with red meat and then add green veggies when cooking. Also, a tin of baked beans into the same curry adds even more iron. It was like a fest of iron rich foods. Anyway it did the job.

Categories