Can't get enough Iron!

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AngelaKelly02
AngelaKelly02 Posts: 73 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just don't seem to get enough iron on a daily basis, does anyone have any ideas on foods I need to incorporate into my diet to get some more iron?

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  • terilou87
    terilou87 Posts: 328 Member
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    broccoli, sprouts, dried apricots,spinich + sundried tomatoes are all high in iron
  • Bubbl3s25
    Bubbl3s25 Posts: 210
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    Bump - same goes for me.
    Am wondering if I just take a supplement.
  • lublue
    lublue Posts: 123 Member
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    Spinach, kale, eggs, wholemeal bread, beef
  • AngelaKelly02
    AngelaKelly02 Posts: 73 Member
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    But I already eat spinach and eggs and whole meal bread and beef, but no matter what it's never enough. I'd have to eat a truck load of spinach to get enough iron from it.
  • BlazingJaya
    BlazingJaya Posts: 20 Member
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    If you're looking at the iron counter on the MFP app ignore it. It doesn't count the iron content in a bunch of foods which are full of iron.
  • pilarter
    pilarter Posts: 49
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    Food that are rich in iron: red meats, all of them, long green leaf veggies, and, as a hint, any food in the rad range color: from orange to dark brown; don´t forget about strawberries, dark chocolate, mussels, red peppers, lentils
  • AngelaKelly02
    AngelaKelly02 Posts: 73 Member
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    If you're looking at the iron counter on the MFP app ignore it. It doesn't count the iron content in a bunch of foods which are full of iron.

    I like this answer best :)
    I might stop paying attention to it.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Spinach is overrated. Liver is the best food source, and thyme has the most per weight, but obviously you'd need a lot of it! For vegetable sources, look to pumpkin and sesame seeds, and dried apricots. If you eat fish, try shellfish and fish eggs (caviar, roe). To aid absorption, eat at the same time as something with decent vitamin C levels, like a kiwi or orange.
  • lublue
    lublue Posts: 123 Member
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    If you're looking at the iron counter on the MFP app ignore it. It doesn't count the iron content in a bunch of foods which are full of iron.

    That's very true - if this is where you're getting your readings from I'd ignore it! You probably do have enough iron if you eat a balanced and healthy diet... hardly any foods on here have iron content in them
  • wolfiesmith66
    wolfiesmith66 Posts: 3
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    I'm a blood donor so I have to watch my iron levels, as if they drop too low I can't donate, so I've been told what things are best to eat.

    One surprising one is dried herbs with thyme and parsley having the most. A tablespoon of dried thyme has 3.7mg, so adding them to your cooking will help.

    Fish is also high in iron and if you're in the UK, or can get it where you are, so is Guinness. Not to everyone's taste but liver is very good as well.
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
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    How do you know you are not getting enough Iron? Did you fail a blood iron test?

    Cook in an Iron skillet

    Look here, be sure to read section on Factors which Affect Iron Absorption and Retention

    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-iron.php
  • hendinerik
    hendinerik Posts: 287 Member
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    Total whole grain cereal has 100% iron... I think it's about 100 cals a serving.

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