Lack of Iron

fairestthings
fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
in Food and Nutrition
After recent blood work, I need more iron. Have always been kind of low on it, but I really want to nip this by eating iron-rich foods.

I don't regularly eat salads, and i won't be anytime soon.

Any suggestions on how to get more iron in me? Other than taking an iron supplement.

Replies

  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    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


    A link here also:

    http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-and-wellness/iron-rich-foods
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    I googled it. There are 2 million 800 thousand matches :noway:

    From the American Red Cross:

    http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-and-wellness/iron-rich-foods

    They want your blood. :wink:
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    Most multigrain breads and cereals are iron fortified.
  • zeebruhgirl
    zeebruhgirl Posts: 493 Member
    Red meat! Enjoy a nice steak once in awhile!
    Or spinach!
  • yallcallmedeb
    yallcallmedeb Posts: 294
    Post Grape Nuts has 90% of your daily requirement of iron. Yes, it is fortified but other than eating dark leafy greens in large quantities, I don't think that I could naturally get enough iron through diet alone.
  • Sharonks
    Sharonks Posts: 884 Member
    I cook in cast iron skillets. They impart some iron into your food, especially in acidic dishes like things with tomatoes.
  • m_suerte
    m_suerte Posts: 7
    Quinoa and raw cacao powder have helped me tremendously. I have been borderline anemic for my entire adult life and I can feel the difference almost instantly (and lasting for hours) if I have make a smoothie with the cacao powder in it (don't drink them any time too close to trying to sleep!). Quinoa is a grain out of South America and tastes like whatever you cook it with.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    beans are high in iron
  • CyeRyn
    CyeRyn Posts: 389 Member
    I take a multivitamin that has iron in it. Seems to work for me as far as I know. Getting it from a natural source is best option though, but figured I'd throw what I use out there too.

    *edit* I misread your post so I apologize. I've read egg yolks and raisins are good sources of iron.
  • ChapinaGrande
    ChapinaGrande Posts: 289 Member
    I am also low in iron. Why do you prefer not to take a vitamin?I do it, but I don't like the side effects related to my stomach. What about you?
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    We arent vegetarians, but we only eat meat about 1-3 times a month.

    I will have to look into the Post Nuts cereal, because i love cereal as a snack.

    And crazy enough, I eat spinach every single day, sometimes twice, and somehow am still always around 50% :-/
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    I am also low in iron. Why do you prefer not to take a vitamin?I do it, but I don't like the side effects related to my stomach. What about you?

    I prefer to get all of my nutrition and medicine from food sources rather than dietary supplements or pills. (I do take medicine, but only on a rare needed time).
  • TazzytheMotivator
    TazzytheMotivator Posts: 646 Member
    Easiest way is to google foods high in iron.
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    Quinoa and raw cacao powder have helped me tremendously. I have been borderline anemic for my entire adult life and I can feel the difference almost instantly (and lasting for hours) if I have make a smoothie with the cacao powder in it (don't drink them any time too close to trying to sleep!). Quinoa is a grain out of South America and tastes like whatever you cook it with.

    I have tried quinoa. Must try new recipes with it, as i hated the texture. I will get over it if helps me though!

    We have cacao powder too but when I tried to make a mousee with it, it was God-awful. LOL. What is your recipe for the smoothie?
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    I am a veggie too. Fortified cereal & breads are a big source for me!
  • pg3ibew
    pg3ibew Posts: 1,026 Member
    I usually just eat the pan or pot my food is cooked in.
  • ladytinkerbell99
    ladytinkerbell99 Posts: 970 Member
    bump
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Red meat, Egg yolks, Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)
    Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)
    Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)
    Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
    Artichokes
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    :flowerforyou: I appreciate all the answers!

    I will have to look at the cereals better next time I go grocery shopping. I usually buy the Fiber One Honey Clusters for my daughter and I, and my husband prefer's Kashi's Go Lean! cereal. Wish they had an iron flake like they do for protein LOL.
  • CyeRyn
    CyeRyn Posts: 389 Member
    I was looking at my oatmeal because I'm planning on having some for dessert and noticed that it has 20% Iron. It's Oat's Revolution. Figured I'd mention that too.
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    I was looking at my oatmeal because I'm planning on having some for dessert and noticed that it has 20% Iron. It's Oat's Revolution. Figured I'd mention that too.

    Thank you! I totally forgot about oatmeal :blushing: We used to eat it every morning for breakfast, however it never kept me full for very long so I stopped eating it for muesli and Greek yoghurt instead.

    Thanks though! I will add it to my snacks perhaps :flowerforyou:

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