Tips on eating meat again?

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PRChica2015
PRChica2015 Posts: 30 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello, I am looking for some advice/tips. I have not eaten red meat or pork in about 10 years (I do eat poultry, fish and eggs). I have just been diagnosed with an iron deficiency even though I eat plenty of spinach, grains, and other iron-rich veggies. My husband wants me to start eating red meat again. I know my body needs it, but just the thought of it makes me gag. I told him I would try to be open to it, though. Any advice on how to get over this meat revulsion? I've also heard that if you haven't eaten meat in a long time it can really mess with your belly if you start eating it again. Is this true? Any and all help would be appreciated!
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Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    PRChica2015 wrote: »
    Hello, I am looking for some advice/tips. I have not eaten red meat or pork in about 10 years (I do eat poultry, fish and eggs). I have just been diagnosed with an iron deficiency even though I eat plenty of spinach, grains, and other iron-rich veggies. My husband wants me to start eating red meat again. I know my body needs it, but just the thought of it makes me gag. I told him I would try to be open to it, though. Any advice on how to get over this meat revulsion? I've also heard that if you haven't eaten meat in a long time it can really mess with your belly if you start eating it again. Is this true? Any and all help would be appreciated!

    Why don't you talk to your doctor and take iron supplements? Solves your problem.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    PRChica2015 wrote: »
    Hello, I am looking for some advice/tips. I have not eaten red meat or pork in about 10 years (I do eat poultry, fish and eggs). I have just been diagnosed with an iron deficiency even though I eat plenty of spinach, grains, and other iron-rich veggies. My husband wants me to start eating red meat again. I know my body needs it, but just the thought of it makes me gag. I told him I would try to be open to it, though. Any advice on how to get over this meat revulsion? I've also heard that if you haven't eaten meat in a long time it can really mess with your belly if you start eating it again. Is this true? Any and all help would be appreciated!

    Why don't you talk to your doctor and take iron supplements? Solves your problem.

    Pretty much. Red meat will be highly effective, but not the only source of iron. If you don't like it, don't eat it. Or try it in different ways until you find one that you do like. Or just get some supplements prescribed by your doctor.

    Either way... problem solved.
  • PaulineNicole_
    PaulineNicole_ Posts: 5 Member
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    Take it easy, just a little bit at a time.
    In your journey to eating meat again, start off with broths and maybe meat as "toppings" to meals you already like such as shredded beef on top of salad or Pork in your favorite soup. Then slowly increase the amount of meat.
    Take probiotics if you have any digestive issues - this is normal, but as you keep on, your belly will get used to it.

    I wish you all the best!!
  • veganxpizza
    veganxpizza Posts: 40 Member
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    you don't need red meat to get an adequate amount of iron. there's something dietarily that you're doing wrong if you're not getting iron from what you currently eat.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    Whenever Iron issues come up, I post the same thing:

    Breakfast Cereal. Most brands have 50-100% of your daily iron.

    Also: there is no such thing as a vegetable that is a good source of iron.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    edited February 2016
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    PRChica2015 wrote: »
    Hello, I am looking for some advice/tips. I have not eaten red meat or pork in about 10 years (I do eat poultry, fish and eggs). I have just been diagnosed with an iron deficiency even though I eat plenty of spinach, grains, and other iron-rich veggies. My husband wants me to start eating red meat again. I know my body needs it, but just the thought of it makes me gag. I told him I would try to be open to it, though. Any advice on how to get over this meat revulsion? I've also heard that if you haven't eaten meat in a long time it can really mess with your belly if you start eating it again. Is this true? Any and all help would be appreciated!

    Why don't you talk to your doctor and take iron supplements? Solves your problem.

    Iron supplements didn't work for me (not even the injectable/infusion kind). They made me very sick to my stomach and didn't improve my iron levels. For whatever reason, I only absorb heme-iron which is iron from meat/blood sources. I was mainly a vegetarian for my health, so when it turned out to not be beneficial for me, I really didn't have a problem going back.

    I guess my best advice would be to start with ground beef and have it things like chili, spaghetti sauce, taco filling, stew, etc and work your way up from there.
  • PRChica2015
    PRChica2015 Posts: 30 Member
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    veganxpizza wrote: »
    you don't need red meat to get an adequate amount of iron. there's something dietarily that you're doing wrong if you're not getting iron from what you currently eat.

    Unfortunately maybe not in my case. It seems to be due to excessive blood loss from a condition I have, so I really have to bump up the amount of iron - supplements plus a very stern suggestion I start eating meats again. That's why I am trying to overcome my aversion to it. Obviously we are also working on controlling the blood loss.
  • PRChica2015
    PRChica2015 Posts: 30 Member
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    heartlikejesus wrote: »
    Take it easy, just a little bit at a time.
    In your journey to eating meat again, start off with broths and maybe meat as "toppings" to meals you already like such as shredded beef on top of salad or Pork in your favorite soup. Then slowly increase the amount of meat.
    Take probiotics if you have any digestive issues - this is normal, but as you keep on, your belly will get used to it.

    I wish you all the best!!

    Thanks for the suggestions!
  • harrybananas
    harrybananas Posts: 292 Member
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    Burgers not good!?!? I don't know anymore.
  • PRChica2015
    PRChica2015 Posts: 30 Member
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    Iron supplements didn't work for me (not even the injectable/infusion kind). They made me very sick to my stomach and didn't improve my iron levels. For whatever reason, I only absorb heme-iron which is iron from meat/blood sources. I was mainly a vegetarian for my health, so when it turned out to not be beneficial for me, I really didn't have a problem going back.

    I guess my best advice would be to start with ground beef and have it things like chili, spaghetti sauce, taco filling, stew, etc and work your way up from there.[/quote]

    Thank you! Glad you didn't have a problem going back. I don't know why this is so hard for me since I do eat poultry and seafood, but hopefully I'll learn to enjoy eating meat again soon!
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    What about a spreadable pate?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I echo the advice to start with ground and minced beef, perhaps mixed with egg and bread crumbs (meatballs). Work your way up to it.

    How about liver pate?
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    Yeah I say try ground beef maybe lasagna?? I make a beautiful spinach and ricotta one with beef sauce......mmmmm yummy!!!
  • ModernRock
    ModernRock Posts: 372 Member
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    You already eat poultry and fish. Theres no reason to eat read meat of you don't want it. Chicken liver actually has much more iron than beef liver.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    ModernRock wrote: »
    You already eat poultry and fish. Theres no reason to eat read meat of you don't want it. Chicken liver actually has much more iron than beef liver.

    But who really wants to eat liver? Not me! LOL

    Ground beef has five times the iron content of chicken breast.
  • mjwarbeck
    mjwarbeck Posts: 699 Member
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    You mentioned fish....mussels, oysters and clams have more iron per gram than beef.

    Sardines and shrimp have about the same as beef.

    Cuttlefish, Squid and Octopus have more than beef as well.

    For something different: Marmite has 1.8 mg per serving or just under what you'd get with 3 oz of beef....though it is an acquired taste!
  • PRChica2015
    PRChica2015 Posts: 30 Member
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    Thanks for all the suggestions!
  • neohdiver
    neohdiver Posts: 738 Member
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    PRChica2015 wrote: »
    Unfortunately maybe not in my case. It seems to be due to excessive blood loss from a condition I have, so I really have to bump up the amount of iron - supplements plus a very stern suggestion I start eating meats again. That's why I am trying to overcome my aversion to it. Obviously we are also working on controlling the blood loss.

    Just guessing about the blood loss - but if I'm right, you'll never get enough iron from dietary sources. When I had blood loss of a quart over 5 days every month, my anemia was so severe that they referred me to a specialist to rule out leukemia and other similar conditions. It was bad enough it was affecting my heart and they could not tell that I was making any new red blood cells.

    I was able to take massive doses and pump enough iron into my system that I got close to normal before we resolved the issue causing excessive bleeding. Slow FE is much easier on the GI system than other iron supplements.

    As to eating meat - you never stopped (fish and poultry are both meat), so your GI system should be just fine.

  • OMP33
    OMP33 Posts: 308 Member
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    Beans and fortified iron cereals are a great source of iron.

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