Looking for Iron !

ilonapook
ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have noticed that despte the fact that I seem to have no trouble reaching most of my vitamin and mineral goals I get no where near the reccommended iron levels. I enjoy all food groups but tend to get most of my carbs from veg and fruit. Any suggestions of whole foods that I may be unaware of. Gotta get that iron !
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Replies

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    meat, especially red meat, beans, dark leafy greens, dried fruits, prune juice
  • ilonapook
    ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
    Garbanzo beans any good ? Iron wise......
    Love prune juice !
    Love red meat but trying to move towards lower fat ......maybe iron can win out in thus internal debate. ;)
    Thank you

  • itsmemaringle
    itsmemaringle Posts: 69 Member
    Hibiscus tea ☕️
  • greej
    greej Posts: 37 Member
    Lentils!
  • spat095
    spat095 Posts: 105 Member
    I get most of mine from spinach. I have had trouble getting enough at times, and now I take a multivitamin that has iron. Before that I would eat a cup of Total cereal - 100% dv iron in that. Good luck!
  • ilonapook
    ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
    itsmemaringle wrote: »
    Hibiscus tea ☕️

    You are kidding ! Never knew of that. I love teas.
  • ilonapook
    ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
    greej wrote: »
    Lentils!

    I have made lentil soup. Any other recipe suggestions ? What can you mix with it as a side dish so its not just mushy?
  • ilonapook
    ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
    spat095 wrote: »
    I get most of mine from spinach. I have had trouble getting enough at times, and now I take a multivitamin that has iron. Before that I would eat a cup of Total cereal - 100% dv iron in that. Good luck!

    Thanks for the suggestion! I do put spinach in smoothies so maybe I can ramp that up a bit.
    Will also scour the cereal isle though trying to stay somewhat away from processed foods. Do you have a particular iron suppliment you suggest.?
  • wl4v
    wl4v Posts: 5 Member
    If am low on Iron I'll use a tbsp of black strap molasses in my tea or drizzled in my oatmeal. 1 Tbsp has 20% or the dv for Iron and tons of potassium.
  • kuroshii
    kuroshii Posts: 168 Member
    ilonapook wrote: »
    greej wrote: »
    Lentils!

    I have made lentil soup. Any other recipe suggestions ? What can you mix with it as a side dish so its not just mushy?

    Lots of Indian food recipes use lentils (dal) and I believe the trick is you don't cook it quite as long as you would for soup, so it doesn't "break down" into mush.
  • poteatkd
    poteatkd Posts: 113 Member
    Not sure how you feel about grits, but 1 little packet has 45% DV.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    edited March 2016
    Mollusks are #1
    Chicken livers are pretty high on the high iron list.
    Beef liver.
    Beef
    Pork

    Veggies have some, but your body only absorbs 1/3rd of it. So if the nutrition says 9 mg you're only getting 3 mg. Something to keep in mind. Also I believe MFP is based on 14 mg a day to equal 100% (true also of all nutrition labels). Women who still menstrate need 18 mg so 100% out of 14 mg iron a day isn't enough to maintain your blood iron levels. You can change your iron goal though I think. Try 129% as a goal.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,744 Member
    Flintstones multivitamin with iron. :)
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    Flintstones multivitamin with iron. :)

    Hehe. You're onto it.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    Flintstones multivitamin with iron. :)

    I recommend Honey Nut Cheerios (29 g = 30%) and Wheat Chex (47 g = 80%).
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    Flintstones multivitamin with iron. :)

    I recommend Honey Nut Cheerios (29 g = 30%) and Wheat Chex (47 g = 80%).

    Ah, I couldn't remember their names!
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I'm stunned to read that chocolate is an excellent source of iron! https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/
  • ilonapook
    ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks for all of this great input ! Foods that I dont usualy think of . Excited to use molassas as a sweetener.....new snack food can be a can of smoked oysters.....looking out for new things to try and jazz up lentils and chick peas in......interesting that vegetable iron sources not as biovailable as meat sources ! I may also have to give liver another try. My Hungarian grandmother used to do something good with chicken livers. ALSO , lovin the Checks cereal and flintstone vitamin options
  • ilonapook
    ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
    First time posting and really appreciative of the feedback everyone !
    Cheers :)
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
    Regular tea can actually inhibit iron absorption. Are you anemic? Have some labs done with your doctor.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    This:
    http://www.luckyironfish.com

    Simmer in water for a few minutes before you cook your rice or oatmeal.
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
    For chickpeas try falafels and hummus
  • kes840
    kes840 Posts: 66 Member
    I second jgnatcha's lucky iron fish idea. I don't need the extra iron, since I'm postmenopausal, but it's SUCH a cool idea.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    Wow @cbelc2 !! I had no idea that tea inhibited iron absorption. I drink a little tea and coffee ( which I read also inhibits iron absorption). I am anemic and will re-think coffee and tea :(

    I will certainly try Hibiscus tea!!
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    ilonapook wrote: »
    greej wrote: »
    Lentils!

    I have made lentil soup. Any other recipe suggestions ? What can you mix with it as a side dish so its not just mushy?

    Green lentils are not as mushy as red and hold up better for lentil salads or lentil stew.
  • ilonapook
    ilonapook Posts: 8 Member
    Great to know ....I have only ever bought red
  • Sarahb29
    Sarahb29 Posts: 952 Member
    Blood pudding. It sounds gross but all fried up it's delicious, high in iron and very good for you. Some recipes are much better than others. Maple leaf used to make it and it was the only kind I'd buy but they stopped making it. Now I get mine from Bavarian Meats which is almost identical to Maple Leafs recipe.
  • sylkates
    sylkates Posts: 173 Member
    wl4v wrote: »
    If am low on Iron I'll use a tbsp of black strap molasses in my tea or drizzled in my oatmeal. 1 Tbsp has 20% or the dv for Iron and tons of potassium.

    I was about to mention molasses. Among the sweeteners, it's the one that's ALSO a stealth "health" food with those unexpected nutrients!
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    I never hit my iron goal either. I don't really care for cereal. I did make cheesy grits last night, so that was good. Someone else told me that you probably get more iron then you think because food labels only have to list iron when it hits a certain percentage of RDA. I'm not sure how true that is. I'd like to think it. lol
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Even though I am post-menopausal, my iron at best has tested at the very low end of normal. So it's therapeutic iron for me. And my lucky iron fish. Hubby has no idea how many ways I sneak it in to our dishes. For those of you who don't care for cereal, there's always beef!

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