Food high in iron and calcium (non-meat)

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Any tips on increasing these elements please?

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  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Cheerios with milk
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Spinach and cheese
  • Secretnotes
    Secretnotes Posts: 46 Member
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    Cream of wheat with milk (add a couple scoops of PB2 or PB Fit for flavor if you find it too bland).
  • vermilionflower
    vermilionflower Posts: 29 Member
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    Leafy greens of the cabbage family, such as broccoli, kale, turnip greens, collards; lima beans, green peas; dry beans and peas, such as pinto beans, black-eyed peas, and canned baked beans
  • NBilli1966
    NBilli1966 Posts: 3 Member
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    They are low on my daily nutrition count....
  • NBilli1966
    NBilli1966 Posts: 3 Member
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    Cream of wheat with milk (add a couple scoops of PB2 or PB Fit for flavor if you find it too bland).

    Thanks
  • andreaen
    andreaen Posts: 365 Member
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    For the iron I actually normally opt for a supplement. It is true that dark green veggies has iron, but you would have to eat 1kg broccoli or 600g spinach to get your daily average. Eggs has some iron too, but you would have to eat a kilo there too. Milk and other dairy are good for calcium.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
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    Beans, fish and red meat are very high in iron.
  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 347 Member
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    Calcium: fortified cereals, fortified nut or soy milk, almonds

    Both: molasses, canned fish with the bones, dark chocolate 85% or more

    Iron: beans
  • Mazintrov13
    Mazintrov13 Posts: 133 Member
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    I have had low iron in the past so I try to keep an eye on this one too. I do eat red meat regularly now but also lots of spinach and greens and kidney beans.
    I do eat iron fortified cereal too but I have heard that using milk prevents the absorption of iron, does anyone know how true this is?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    First of all get a blood test before assuming you are low in iron. Some of the MFP entries leave the micronutrients blank.

    Trying to take in iron and calcium at the same time can cancel each other out because both elements are aggressively absorbed. So have an iron heavy meal separate from a calcium heavy meal.

    All the dairy is high in calcium as well as almond milk.

    I like recommending the Lucky Iron Fish as you get to add iron to your soups and stews as well as help people around the world.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,299 Member
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    Blackstrap molasses has a good amount of iron, and it's tasty in my oatmeal.

    One caveat: I've found that different brands taste very different. Some just taste burnt, but others taste like molasses cookie (yum).

    My current favorite brand is 'Wholesome' (tasty, ubsulphured, organic, vegan, kosher - if you care about any of those). One tablespoon, 60 calories, 20% DV iron (plus 10% DV calcium & magnesium, 8% DV potassium & B6).

    It does have 10g sugar (all 'added sugar' on the label, which amuses me as molasses basically is sugar).
  • simcon1
    simcon1 Posts: 209 Member
    edited March 2018
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    Calcium inhibits absorption of iron, so I also try to eat these separately. Generally I go for calcium-rich foods earlier in the day (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) and iron-rich foods later in the day (beans & lentils, fish, eggs). Red meat is a great source of iron, but I don’t eat much of it. If I don’t get enough iron, I supplement with Floradix (food-based, well taken up) and if I don’t have enough calcium, I have an Adora chocolate supplement. Also, I’ll often try to eat an orange or tomatoes when I eat iron-rich foods, as vitamin C promotes iron absorption. Cooking acidic foods in cast iron is also good, although MFP wouldn’t capture that!
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    30 grams of Quaker Corn Squares cereal = 30% of iron RDA
    Yves veggie dogs=15% of iron RDA
    I'm having Cajun tofu for dinner tonight (recipe made at home) and one serving gives 19%; the braised red cabbage with currants I'm having as a side gives me another 7 and the baked potato 7 more.

    I don't track calcium, so I can't help you there.
  • Daddy78230
    Daddy78230 Posts: 125 Member
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    As others mentioned before, calcium inhibit your absorption of iron in foods you eat in the same meal. Vitamin C aids in the absorption.

    I have the opposite problem which is too much iron, so I do the opposite recommendation for those that have iron deficiency.