High Iron, Low Calorie, and Tasty Recipes - Do they exist?

ScottishMrs

I've been tracking my iron intake this week and realized that I don't get nearly enough iron in my diet. I'm looking for high iron but low calorie recipes that still taste good. Does anyone have any recipes like this or know where I cand find them?

ameliaannakin

Beans are high in iron and I eat a lot of them. You can check out some of my recipes on my food diary blog - ameliasfooddiary.wordpress.com

Ax

Alta2000

Lentil soup-2tb olive oil, 1/2 cup lentils, 2 fresh tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, water, 2 tb vinegar before serving.
Chicken liver is one of the richest sources of iron, 70% daily value,

You always have to pre-soak beans to remove the iron inhibitor. Try to eat with some food/drink that has vitamin C because it helps in absorbing the iron.

swissbrit

Dark chocolate is really high in Iron but you have to go for the really black stuff but here are some other options
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-iron.php

upgetupgetup

Also: cook things in a cast-iron pan

KatieHall77

Spinach is high in iron and low cal. Also, duck is high in iron, if you do meat. The two would make a very nice salad with an Asian vinegarette on top.

highervibes

I bake kale chips, they're amazing. My kids love them too! ETA: Olive oil and crystal salt

KatieHall77

Also: cook things in a cast-iron pan

This too! Cast iron skillets are awesome, they can go stovetop right into the oven, and you get the added bonus of a mineral you need, rather than Teflon, which is probably not even healthy to cook in.

melaniecheeks

Are you using MFP to track your iron? The database is really poor when it comes to those other nutrients like iron etc, so don't rely on that as a basis.

Alta2000

I bake kale chips, they're amazing. My kids love them too! ETA: Olive oil and crystal salt

What's your recipe for that? I saw them at the supermarket, they were $4.99 for a small container!

swissbrit

http://www.rodale.com/high-iron-recipes
Heres a few for ideas

ScottishMrs

Thank you all! I do meat, but I can't stand beans (except for chick peas in hummus form). Meat's a little expensive on a student income though, so I've been trying to find meatless sources of iron. I think I'm going to have to start buying a little more meat though.

Are you using MFP to track your iron? The database is really poor when it comes to those other nutrients like iron etc, so don't rely on that as a basis.

I'm using MFP for the iron and I've been looking at the % iron on the nutrition labels on my food. I barely make 50% most days.

NaurielR

Are you using MFP to track your iron? The database is really poor when it comes to those other nutrients like iron etc, so don't rely on that as a basis.

I second this. Sometimes whoever created the food didnt bother to add the iron. I would double check just to be sure. Also, there's nothing wrong with taking a supplement.

IliN82

I discovered cream of wheat farina for breakfast with a bit of honey and cinnamon! Loaded in iron.

tl_swift

A 3 oz. serving of cooked goat meat contains fewer calories than the same cooked weight of beef, chicken, lamb or pork: 122 calories in goat meat vs. 162 in chicken, 179 in beef, 180 in pork and 175 in lamb.
Goat meat has 2.6 g of total fat, 0.79 g of saturated fat, 63.8 mg of cholesterol and 23 g of protein per 3 oz. serving. It also has relatively high levels of iron compared to its competitors, 3.2 mg per 3 oz. serving vs. 2.9 mg in beef, 2.7 mg in pork, 1.4 mg in lamb and 1.5 mg in chicken. Goat meat is also a rich source of potassium.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/328432-nutritional-value-of-goat-meat-compared-to-other-meats/#ixzz2NqutivX7

SherryTeach

I often have a half cup of Quaker Oat squares as a snack during the day. Iron-fortified cereal will do the trick.

cluthab

Spinach is high in iron and low cal. Also, duck is high in iron, if you do meat. The two would make a very nice salad with an Asian vinegarette on top.

After an operation 14 years ago I was advised to increase my iron intake. I nearly became addicted to spinach and ginger soup!

ScottishMrs

Are you using MFP to track your iron? The database is really poor when it comes to those other nutrients like iron etc, so don't rely on that as a basis.

I second this. Sometimes whoever created the food didnt bother to add the iron. I would double check just to be sure. Also, there's nothing wrong with taking a supplement.

I actually had to stop taking my prenantals because of the iron supplements. They make me really nauseous and I was throwing up daily because of it. I need to get my iron from natural sources, and because I'm TTC I need extra iron.

I discovered cream of wheat farina for breakfast with a bit of honey and cinnamon! Loaded in iron.

That sounds interesting. I'll have to look into it. Thanks!

hastinbe

Beef liver contains a lot as well

gungjeu

Vitamin B12 is awesome but you do have to eat something before you take it to avoid nausea.

ScottishMrs

Vitamin B12 is awesome but you do have to eat something before you take it to avoid nausea.

What does the B12 help with? I'm already on a daily 1200mg B12 supplement.

highervibes

I bake kale chips, they're amazing. My kids love them too! ETA: Olive oil and crystal salt

What's your recipe for that? I saw them at the supermarket, they were $4.99 for a small container!

Sorry, I'm really bad at checking back! I use this simple recipe from allrecipes.com

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips/

The only thing I do differently is that I use more olive oil. I have a spray olive oil bottle and I find it covers better and Im' sure I'm using more

melindanew

Thank you all! I do meat, but I can't stand beans (except for chick peas in hummus form). Meat's a little expensive on a student income though, so I've been trying to find meatless sources of iron. I think I'm going to have to start buying a little more meat though.

Are you using MFP to track your iron? The database is really poor when it comes to those other nutrients like iron etc, so don't rely on that as a basis.

I'm using MFP for the iron and I've been looking at the % iron on the nutrition labels on my food. I barely make 50% most days.

Try larb gai - leave the toasted rice out. It's ground meat so less expensive.

Larb gai
500g ground (chicken or beef or pork or veal)
Coriander to taste - fresh is better, dried ok
Basil to taste - fresh is better, dried ok
1 stalk of lemongrass, if you can get some
1 lemon
1 onion - red is pretty but all onions ok
1 red or green capsicum (bell pepper)
Chili flakes
Head of lettuce
1 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs peanut oil (or whatever oil you have)

In a bowl, zest the lemon and then juice it and add the fish sauce. Then finely chop (I use a mandolin, thinner is better) the onion and add so the acid softens it. Add coriander (cilantro), basil and capsicum (bell pepper) and add that.

Finely chop the white part of the lemongrass. If using jarred lemongrass, use about a tablespoon.

In a wok (or a frying pan if there is no wok to be had) add the peanut oil and use high heat until it almost smokes, add the lemongrass and cook for about 30 seconds. Add mince and cook until done, making sure it doesn't clump up.

Add this to the bowl with the other things, stir/toss. Wait for it to cool just a bit (warm larb gai is better than hot larb gai and cold larb gai isn't good!)

Either serve over lettuce or wrap in lettuce. Also good with ground peanuts as a garnish.

That should be plenty high iron.

tiffanyisk

Eat a bowl of multigrain cheerio's in the morning, 3/4 cups has most of your daily Iron intake! I have low iron and I always go over my iron intake goals since I started eating them. I also feel less lethargic in the mornings

stongjos

I have the same problem. I realized that when I eat Our Compliments Balance Maple and brown sugar flavor Oatmeal, I get a lot more iron (I know the portion is a little bigger than the others, though...). The other thing is Kellogg's frosted mini-wheats (original flavour has less sugar). With this one, I get 90% of the daily recommended dose!!! :bigsmile:

cluthab

It dawned on me when I add only calories if I can't get the food info, all the other readings are zero.

I know it sounds obvious, but it took a few days to realise how much info was on mfp tables.

My iron is still low but I sense a lot of saag curries looming!

katy_trail

there are tons of lentil, chick pea, black bean, split pea, and so on veggie burgers, 'meat balls' and more.
they often really awesome even if you don't like beans normally. i made lentil 'meatballs' and they really
tasted similar to turkey and my kids loved them. even better when they have BBQ, marinara or maple syrup on them

also eggs have iron. nothing wrong with having omelets or egg burritos for dinner sometimes.

mrsvalgal

I noticed the same thing for me with iron and found the best sources (as in the highest amounts) came from bread products because they'd been enriched/fortified. Cereal makes for an easy source.. I found Total or a fortified shredded wheat gives me the "most bang for my buck" so to speak. I had been eating a wheat crunch cereal but hated that it took so many of my calories. Total cereal cut down on the calories and I get the 100% iron (as well as other vitamins and minerals). I would like to get it from more natural sources too, and agree with the kale and spinach suggestions. Butternut squash is another great source. My midwife said venison is a really good source of iron.

Good luck!

val

RemDogzMa

Since you are looking for high iron, low calorie and affordable iron sources, I'd like to suggest kale. Kale contains more iron per calorie than beef and even the top shelf organic version from Whole Foods costs only $2.49 for a big bunch! It only clocks in at about 34 calories a cup.

Here are some tasty recipes: http://www.thedailymeal.com/kale-recipes-0

ScottishMrs

I noticed the same thing for me with iron and found the best sources (as in the highest amounts) came from bread products because they'd been enriched/fortified. Cereal makes for an easy source.. I found Total or a fortified shredded wheat gives me the "most bang for my buck" so to speak. I had been eating a wheat crunch cereal but hated that it took so many of my calories. Total cereal cut down on the calories and I get the 100% iron (as well as other vitamins and minerals). I would like to get it from more natural sources too, and agree with the kale and spinach suggestions. Butternut squash is another great source. My midwife said venison is a really good source of iron.

Good luck!

val

Thank you! I'll have to see about finding "100% iron fortified" cereals and I didn't know that kale was high in iron.

Since you are looking for high iron, low calorie and affordable iron sources, I'd like to suggest kale. Kale contains more iron per calorie than beef and even the top shelf organic version from Whole Foods costs only $2.49 for a big bunch! It only clocks in at about 34 calories a cup.

Here are some tasty recipes: http://www.thedailymeal.com/kale-recipes-0

Great to know! Thanks for the link!