Iron rich foods

purplepollypops

I'm having a blood test soon to find out if I have pernicious anemia like my Mum has. I've got a good idea that I do and I know I should be eating more foods with iron but don't know what's best.
I know liver and spinach are good sources but I was after some recipes that are also low in fat and cals.
Anyone have any ideas please?

Many thanks
Px

utes09

Raisins, Cheerios, eggs

atomdraco

Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/iron-rich-foods
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Iron-Rich Foods

Spinach may not give you superhuman strength to fight off villains like Popeye's nemesis Bluto, but this leafy green and other foods containing iron can help you fight a different type of enemy -- iron-deficiency anemia.

Iron-deficiency anemia, the most common form of anemia, is a decrease in the number of red blood cells caused by too little iron. Without sufficient iron, your body can't produce enough hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that makes it possible for them to carry oxygen to the body's tissues. As a result, you may feel weak, tired, and irritable.
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About 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men do not have enough iron in their body. The solution, in many cases, is to consume more foods high in iron.

How Your Body Uses Iron in Food

When you eat food with iron, iron is absorbed into your body mainly through the upper part of your small intestine.

There are two forms of dietary iron: heme and nonheme. Heme iron is derived from hemoglobin. It is found in animal foods that originally contained hemoglobin, such as red meats, fish, and poultry. Your body absorbs the most iron from heme sources.


High-in-Iron Food Sources

Very good sources of heme iron, with 3.5 milligrams or more per serving, include:

3 ounces of beef or chicken liver
3 ounces of clams or mollusks
3 ounces of oysters

Good sources of heme iron, with 2.1 milligrams or more per serving, include:

3 ounces of cooked beef
3 ounces of canned sardines, canned in oil
3 ounces of cooked turkey

Other sources of heme iron, with 0.7 milligrams or more per serving, include:

3 ounces of chicken
3 ounces of halibut, haddock, perch, salmon, or tuna
3 ounces of ham
3 ounces of veal

Iron in plant foods such as lentils, beans, and spinach is nonheme iron. This is the form of iron added to iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods. Our bodies are less efficient at absorbing nonheme iron, but most dietary iron is nonheme iron.

Very good sources of nonheme iron, with 3.5 milligrams or more per serving, include:

Breakfast cereals enriched with iron
One cup of cooked beans
One-half cup of tofu
1 ounce of pumpkin, sesame, or squash seeds

Good sources of nonheme iron, with 2.1 milligrams or more per serving, include:

One-half cup of canned lima beans, red kidney beans, chickpeas, or split peas
One cup of dried apricots
One medium baked potato
One medium stalk of broccoli
One cup of cooked enriched egg noodles
One-fourth cup of wheat germ

Other sources of nonheme iron, with 0.7 milligrams or more, include:

1 ounce of peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, roasted almonds, roasted cashews, or sunflower seeds
One-half cup of dried seedless raisins, peaches, or prunes
One cup of spinach
One medium green pepper
One cup of pasta
One slice of bread, pumpernickel bagel, or bran muffin
One cup of rice

Jill_newimprovedversion

if you're being tested to find out your true levels, you might want to consider NOT doing anything UNTIL you find out where you levels are, and THEN try to bump it up- otherwise the test isn't telling you and your Dr. what
you're needing to know.

I'm speaking from experience here. I'm on an iron supplement ( which is now causing constipation, but that's probably TMI-haha)

BTW, it is my understanding that pernicious anemia comes more from low B-12, and not so much from iron deficiencies. Correct me if I'm wrong?

cartern1

remember to keep you vit c intake up as this helps your body absorb the iron.

MrsCon40

I have a bowl of Grapenuts every day - it has such a high amount of iron that I don't worry about getting the rest of my requirements with the other food I eat.

purplepollypops

if you're being tested to find out your true levels, you might want to consider NOT doing anything UNTIL you find out where you levels are, and THEN try to bump it up- otherwise the test isn't telling you and your Dr. what
you're needing to know.

I'm speaking from experience here. I'm on an iron supplement ( which is now causing constipation, but that's probably TMI-haha)

Thanks, that's good advice! I don't think I would have done anything until I'd spoken to my GP anyway, just nice to know in advance so I know what I'm talking about when we do have our chat about it! lol

purplepollypops

I have a bowl of Grapenuts every day - it has such a high amount of iron that I don't worry about getting the rest of my requirements with the other food I eat.

Ooh, I like grapenuts! Will have to remember to buy some! lol

atomdraco

If you can get iron from more natural real / whole food, it's better for you!!! Whole food give you not just iron, but tons of other vitamins and minerals and other stuffs that scientist haven't been able to figured out. So try not to reply on processed food, or supplement, enjoy real food

purplepollypops

BTW, it is my understanding that pernicious anemia comes more from low B-12, and not so much from iron deficiencies. Correct me if I'm wrong?

Not sure. I know my mum has iron tablets and also an injection every few months but I don't really know what it is, I just know that she can sometimes feel really tired and then the day she has her jab she's full of beans!