Iron???

EmRobo
EmRobo Posts: 146 Member
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
I am a vegetarian, and always worry about my iron levels, so much so I am needing an afternoon nap most days, so wasn't sure if it was iron or Vitamin D causing the problem.

I have now discovered I can view how much iron I am having a day on my food diary on MFP.

I am only averaging 13-21 out of 100 each day for iron.

Can anyone tell me what vegetarian foods I can eat higher in iron. I have been poorly these last few days too so not eating much, but hoping to up this rather than take supplements

Thank you

Replies

  • DarrenSeeley
    DarrenSeeley Posts: 41 Member
    Hi. You can eat spinach, or snack on apricots, sun dried tomatoes, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. All have relatively high levels of iron.
  • 022412
    022412 Posts: 11
    MFP isn't so great on micronutrients
    Dark chocolate is vegetarian, and I'm getting 100%+ according to MFP
    I eat 400 calories of it though, lol.

    Spinach and quinoa seem to have iron too
  • ravihira1892
    ravihira1892 Posts: 149 Member
    add me and check out my diary! its 8:40am in the morning and im on 102% iron & im a vegetarian too.

    Taking a good quality multi-vitamin is useful too each morning, worth investing in, all green vegetables full of iron!
  • yogibella
    yogibella Posts: 321 Member
    I second that multi-vitamin advice. Get a good one with Iron in it. Unless you suffer from anemia you won't get access to iron supplements but if it's becoming a problem, talk to your doctor.

    Green veggies, beans, seeds, dried prunes etc. I hear are all good.

    check out: http://www.ironrichfood.org/

    Good luck:)
  • swisspea
    swisspea Posts: 327 Member
    I'm a vegetarian, starting the day with special K or Wheatabix is a quick way to add 25 or so grams of protein. Besides that, I use the tracker to help show me when I'm deficient, and I usually take an Iron and Vit. C tablet that is diluted in a big glass of water. This gives you half a day's iron, it tastes like liking a metal pan, but it's not too bad.
  • karyngrace
    karyngrace Posts: 105 Member
    most of the other comments have been spot on.........although I'm not a vegetarian, i am however very anaemic!

    vitamin c will increase your iron absorption, so eat lots of oranges and strawberries, and try and chase a high iron meal with some oj.

    also cooking with cast iron pans will help too as the iron will leech out into the foods.

    caffeine and too much calcium will inhibit absorption. you can still drink coffee or tea as long as its in-between meals, that way it won't interfere with your iron levels too much.

    lastly it really does help to go to a doctor and get a blood test to check your levels. i was tired all the time and i blamed it on working too much, turned out i was so low in iron that i needed an iron transfusion!!!! hope this all helps!!
  • EmRobo
    EmRobo Posts: 146 Member
    Thanks for all the replies :)

    I have one of those multivitamin tablets that dissolves in water bit like Berocca, but it doesn't contain iron, I wonder if you can buy iron supplement by itself?

    My vit C is always over :) I also don't drink tea or coffee, just green tea. I had a huge loss during giving birth and nearly needed a transfusion so then I was put on iron tablets, and I found out about tea stopping absorption of iron.

    I may take a trip to the docs just to be checked
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    raw cacao beans, nibs or powder are very high in iron and a lot of other minerals. I usually try to eat a few beans every day.
  • yogibella
    yogibella Posts: 321 Member
    I have one of those multivitamin tablets that dissolves in water bit like Berocca, but it doesn't contain iron, I wonder if you can buy iron supplement by itself?

    Where I am (Canada), I couldn't get iron supplements unless it was confirmed through my doctor--which makes sense b/c too much can do damage. Talk to your pharmacist for other forms perhaps? (ie, multivitamin/multiminerals with higher iron)

    This is a great, you got me thinking about my iron which gets neglected sometimes.:smile:

    I just entered my breakfast of oatmeal, sprinkled with raisins (or dried apricot), almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon on MFP. It's showing that I've met almost a 1/3 of my iron goal for the day. Who knew cinnamon had so much iron? I should have chased that with OJ instead of coffee perhaps:D And my multivitamin took care of the rest.

    more resources:
    http://www.canadianliving.com/health/nutrition/how_much_iron_is_enough.php
    http://www.canadianliving.com/health/prevention/iron_101_all_about_low_iron_levels_iron_deficiency_anemia_and_iron_in_foods.php
  • dreanance
    dreanance Posts: 246
    I eat a lot of beans, lentils, tofu, quinoa, hummus, etc. That being said, I still take a multi, raw, whole food vitamin that has 44% RDV so I'm totally sure I'm getting enough.
  • LindsayChick
    LindsayChick Posts: 129 Member
    Beans are high in iron.... also many vegetarians cook as much food as they can in an iron skillet because some does carry over in the food. Hope this helps!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Cream of Wheat cereal is a great source of iron, one of the highest iron amounts per serving. My blood bank recommended it to me, I usually eat it several days a week before I donate blood to make sure my iron is up to their requirements - works every time. :)
  • sabinecbauer
    sabinecbauer Posts: 250 Member
    Cream of wheat!! 1/4 cup uncooked has a whopping 50% of your daily total, and you can prepare it with almond milk, so it's fine for a vegetarian diet. Also, strawberries are high in iron, which came as a bit of a surprise to me, but I'm not complaining :bigsmile:
  • GeneveSparkles
    GeneveSparkles Posts: 283 Member
    I take an iron supplement daily. In the US they are available over the counter. If you opt for a multi vitamin make sure to check the label because a lot of them are not vegetarian. Make sure the label reads "vegetarian" (hint if you see gelatin in the ingredients it's not vegetarian)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories