Iron is too low!

kristengraham
kristengraham Posts: 59 Member
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
I donate plasma normally two times a week... this morning was the first time in a week or so. They always check your protein and iron levels... you must be a certain number to be able to donate. This morning my iron was at the very bottom of their scale... I believe it was 38. So I looked back at my food diary for yesterday... I only consumed 25 of the recommended 100. What should I be eating to get my iron levels higher?

Replies

  • kennie2
    kennie2 Posts: 1,170 Member
    red meat :D but if you've a veggie like me youre pretty much screwed.
  • Losingitin2011
    Losingitin2011 Posts: 572 Member
    You could also just take an iron supplement
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
    you could always go and buy some iron pills..since i have had my oldest son ( almost 8 years ago ) i have been anemic. iron pills work for me
  • tinalina81
    tinalina81 Posts: 81
    The Ladies at the WIC office told me to feed my daughter spinach, strawberries and liver . Those are all pretty high in iron. But any leafy green has iron. Try those and see if it goes up any.
  • savvystephy
    savvystephy Posts: 4,151 Member
    Spinach! :)
  • aroundnround
    aroundnround Posts: 1 Member
    I have always struggled with this and have found supplements to have too many negative side effects (mostly nausea). I have found the best thing when I can't get enough red meats and or leafy greens is fortified breakfast cereals. I had honey shreddies this morning which have 45% of your RDI of Iron in just 3/4 of a cup. They are also high in fiber and quick and easy for busy mornings.
  • doobabe
    doobabe Posts: 436 Member
    Google iron rich foods and it will give you a whole list. Off the top of my head- red meats, nuts and spinach.....
    Being a vegetarian- mine was always low so I started taking a supplement.... that seemed to help me. Good luck!
  • indigoeyes
    indigoeyes Posts: 18 Member
    If you can get over the taste, Black Strap Molasses. A tablespoon a day works for me. Google it for iron deficiency.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Evidently the calcium and the iron in spinach impede the way our body processes them.

    Nuts are high in iron, as is peanut butter.
    Many cereals are high in iron.
    Most beans are high in iron.
    Apricots!!
  • daryls
    daryls Posts: 260
    The RDs at work say to use an iron skillet when cooking. I guess the iron from the skillet somehow goes into the food.

    I found an article on it:

    http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/IronCastIron.htm

    Good luck!
  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
    Red meat, white meat (less than half of red meat but still more than most other sources), fortified cereal or milk, dried fruit, wholemeal bread. Keep in mind that if you are getting your iron from vegetarian sources then you need to make sure that you have a food high in vitamin C at the same time as the iron-containing food to help it absorb. It is also best to avoid substances that interact with iron and prevent absorption e.g. tannins (found in tea, wine), caffeine and calcium so it's best to keep foods high in these things between meals rather than with your iron-rich foods. Hope that helps.
  • kristengraham
    kristengraham Posts: 59 Member
    soo much great info... thanks :)

    I'd rather get the iron my food as much as possible rather than take a pill. I guess if the food change doesnt' help pills are an alternative.

    I eat very little red meat... guess I better be eating some more leafy green stuff! ;)
  • jamie78
    jamie78 Posts: 514 Member
    alot of cereals have iron in them.. Cheerios is one of them and Total is another.
  • tlrunyon
    tlrunyon Posts: 127
    As much salad as you like to eat - different varieties of leafy greens is a great option!!! Try baby spinach!
  • ashleigh2311
    ashleigh2311 Posts: 105 Member
    ive just looked at my diary and realised special k has like 50 in one bowl!

    apart from that one day, i havent ever gone over 21 :/

    Thanks for the other suggestions guys!

    iron content was never really something i cared about, its always fat and sat fat that bothered me, but only getting 1/5 iron max is badddd :( no wonder my doctor told me i had low iron levels.
  • kristengraham
    kristengraham Posts: 59 Member
    As much salad as you like to eat - different varieties of leafy greens is a great option!!! Try baby spinach!

    Actually I picked up this container of spring mix salad at walmart last night ... it has some baby spinach in it! lol, it looks like weeds from my yard! but i'm gonna give it a try!
  • GoGetTonedHippie
    GoGetTonedHippie Posts: 5
    spinach & PUMPKIN SEEDS!!!! pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron & they are my favorite snack :)
  • lisa35120
    lisa35120 Posts: 230 Member
    Spinach is high in iron, but I read somewhere that it also has "iron inhibitors" which keep your body from absorbing it, so you have to eat something high in vitamin C to help it absorb. I'm NOT a nutritionist, it's just what I've read when researching iron because I have low iron too.... feel free to correct me on that if I'm wrong. :) I actually have to take iron pills, especially when I'm dieting because I just can't get enough iron when I can't eat as many calories.
  • tlrunyon
    tlrunyon Posts: 127
    spinach & PUMPKIN SEEDS!!!! pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron & they are my favorite snack :)
    Oh yes, pumpkin seeds are awesome!!!!!
  • tlrunyon
    tlrunyon Posts: 127
    As much salad as you like to eat - different varieties of leafy greens is a great option!!! Try baby spinach!

    Actually I picked up this container of spring mix salad at walmart last night ... it has some baby spinach in it! lol, it looks like weeds from my yard! but i'm gonna give it a try!
    I buy that bag too!!! Some of the mix tastes like weeds from my yard too :) Honest, that's a great combination of a salad mix. Enjoy!
  • brneydgrlie
    brneydgrlie Posts: 464 Member
    If you are vegetarian, you are not necessarily out of luck. Eat lots of spinach salad; soybeans and lentils. And Quinoa is also a really good source of iron (and magnesium).
  • brneydgrlie
    brneydgrlie Posts: 464 Member
    I have always struggled with this and have found supplements to have too many negative side effects (mostly nausea). I have found the best thing when I can't get enough red meats and or leafy greens is fortified breakfast cereals. I had honey shreddies this morning which have 45% of your RDI of Iron in just 3/4 of a cup. They are also high in fiber and quick and easy for busy mornings.

    Take the supplements with food, and you won't get the queasy stomach.
  • jemmur
    jemmur Posts: 57 Member
    Red meat, white meat (less than half of red meat but still more than most other sources), fortified cereal or milk, dried fruit, wholemeal bread. Keep in mind that if you are getting your iron from vegetarian sources then you need to make sure that you have a food high in vitamin C at the same time as the iron-containing food to help it absorb. It is also best to avoid substances that interact with iron and prevent absorption e.g. tannins (found in tea, wine), caffeine and calcium so it's best to keep foods high in these things between meals rather than with your iron-rich foods. Hope that helps.
    what she said!

    if i tried to up my iron, failed, and decided i'd supplement while i worked on it. solgar do a really good "gentle iron" supplement that's veggie-friendly and tends to have fewer side effects.
  • Fr4z
    Fr4z Posts: 26 Member
    Watercress or Guinness......... it's what mutha used to have
  • up2me2lose20
    up2me2lose20 Posts: 360 Member
    I have always struggled with this and have found supplements to have too many negative side effects (mostly nausea). I have found the best thing when I can't get enough red meats and or leafy greens is fortified breakfast cereals. I had honey shreddies this morning which have 45% of your RDI of Iron in just 3/4 of a cup. They are also high in fiber and quick and easy for busy mornings.

    Take the supplements with food, and you won't get the queasy stomach.

    I have a hard time taking even my multivitamin. I get sick to my stomach. Even after a meal. So just because someone takes their pill with food doesn't mean that it doesn't effect them with queasiness. In fact, I don't just get queasy, the whole thing comes back up. I hate that. I try to fight it but I can't. It's a horrible feeling...takes me back to my days of morning sickness. Blech. I really need the iron though, I'm always short on iron.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    My daughter and I both are anemic, controlled through mostly through diet (and a multi-vitamin for me). This site, http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000119000000000000000-w.html, is our best resource.

    Lean meats, of course.
    Prune juice, if you like it.
    Wheat germ is easy to add to other dishes.
    Potato flour is a great thickener and high in iron.
    Whole oats
    Seaweed (Nori)
    Whole eggs
    Sweet peppers
    Thyme (the spice)
    Potatoes, with skin
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    alot of cereals have iron in them.. Cheerios is one of them and Total is another.

    They've been fortified with iron, which is pretty much the same as taking a pill... Not a bad way to go, but it's not "natural" if that's your goal. I only mention it because op says she does not want to get her iron from a pill.

    My favorite source of iron is the wonderfood known as hummus... Both garbanzos and sesame tahini are great sources.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories