Vegan iron question

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melissadavidson89
melissadavidson89 Posts: 14 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey I've been tracking for a week and most days my iron has been between 15-30% under. Is it accurate? I eat a lot of brocolli, spinach, lentils and nuts. Any ideas for foods I can squeeze in that are high in iron?

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  • melissadavidson89
    melissadavidson89 Posts: 14 Member
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    Thinking of adding a couple tsp of spirulina to some food. What would it go well in? Can I add it to other things other than smoothies?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Other sources: sesame seeds, tomato sauce, greens, tofu, blackstrap molasses.

    Also: try consuming vitamin C with your iron to help absorption (vitamin C vegetables go great with many high iron foods so this is easy), consider cooking in cast iron (it puts some iron in the food), and limit coffee/tea drinking around the same time as your higher iron meals. All these will help with iron absorption.

    Here is an article I liked: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/iron-for-vegetarians/
  • melissadavidson89
    melissadavidson89 Posts: 14 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Thank you :) I have a ton of greens and 3 packs of tofoo co tofu coming tomorrow :D I'll start putting sesame seeds on my sushi too (slight addiction to avocado maki!). My vitamin c is not a problem, one day it was about 800% over :dizzy:
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited April 2017
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    melissadavidson89 wrote: »
    Thank you :) I have a ton of greens and 3 packs of tofoo co tofu coming tomorrow :D I'll start putting sesame seeds on my sushi too (slight addiction to avocado maki!). My vitamin c is not a problem, one day it was about 800% over :dizzy:

    Generally we vegans don't struggle with vitamin c intake! ;) Fortunately, anything our body can't use is eliminated. You can't overdose on it.

    Tahini is another way I like to eat sesame seeds. It's very rich in calories so it isn't an everyday thing for me. But it's one of my favorite ways to get iron!
  • melissadavidson89
    melissadavidson89 Posts: 14 Member
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    Oh yes! Tahini as salad dressing :love: can I add you to my friends :) just starting and always nice to meet felllw Vegans x
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,988 Member
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    Do you check the entries you use to be sure they're accurate? If you log entries for foods you know have iron, and the entry says 0%, you need to look for other database entries.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    Do you check the entries you use to be sure they're accurate? If you log entries for foods you know have iron, and the entry says 0%, you need to look for other database entries.

    I agree here, I have noticed some people are lazy and just don't enter in the vitamin and minerals. I take a multivitamin every day even though I eat a balanced healthy diet most of the time, it seems to help with my adult acne issues when I take them so hooray, it has iron in it!

  • kavahni
    kavahni Posts: 313 Member
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    Cook in cast iron! Especially acidic foods like tomato sauces and long cooking foods like soups. They will pick up iron from the pans. I was anemic as a child, and my iron levels as an adult have been very, very good. I cook almost exclusively in cast-iron.
  • melissadavidson89
    melissadavidson89 Posts: 14 Member
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    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    Do you check the entries you use to be sure they're accurate? If you log entries for foods you know have iron, and the entry says 0%, you need to look for other database entries.

    I have noticed that a couple of times! Some times I dont check when I'm in a hurry. I'll need to start checking everything. I'm sure I eat plenty iron foods.
  • msr8898
    msr8898 Posts: 29 Member
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    I try to use the USDA food entries whenever possible; I've found them in my experience to be mostly accurate on a consistent basis, especially when it comes to micro nutrients.

    As far as iron, your best sources will come from legumes like lentils, soy, followed by whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, fortified cereals etc. For example, one cup (198g) of lentils provides 37% DV of iron, while one cup of cooked quinoa (185g) provides 15% DV of iron.

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