Avoiding Anemia – High Iron Food List

If you’re a vegetarian/vegan, you should pay special attention to this high iron food list, as it can be more difficult to get enough iron in your diet when not eating meat. I knew a few individuals who turned veggie and became anemic as a result of iron deficiency because they did not eat enough foods that are high in iron. So make sure you read this article and learn which foods you should be eating for iron, because trust me, you do not what to develop anemia. It’s symptoms include fatigue, an inability to catch your breath, loss of appetite, headache, insomnia, and even lack of stamina.

Why is Iron important? Iron is needed to form hemoglobin, which combines with oxygen and distributes it throughout the blood to all the parts of your body. But not all types of iron gets absorbed well by your body. Iron from animal products is absorbed very easily, but iron found in veggie products is not absorbed as easily. The difference is of about 10% between the two, and this is why it is not unusual for vegetarians and/or vegans to develop anemia.

This does not mean that you should decide against ever becoming a veggie! Being a vegetarian has lots of advantages, and all you have to do to stay healthy is be conscious of what you’re consuming. So you must incorporate many iron-rich foods into your diet, but also consume foods that enhance iron absorption in general. Foods such as Brussels sprouts, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, grapefruit, oranges, and strawberries, strengthen your body’s ability to absorb iron.

How much iron do I need? Men, as well as women who are post-menopausal, should be getting 1omg of iron a day. Women who are pre-menopausal should be getting 15mg of it daily.

The below is a list of vegetarian foods that are high in iron:

(per serving size/amount of iron is in mg)

sea veggies: 18-42

bran flakes: 11

oatmeal: 6.3

cream of wheat: 5.5

lentils: 3.2

chickpeas: 6.2

tofu: 6.6

soybeans: 4.4

Black eye beans: 2.6

pumpkin Seeds: 2.5

spinach: 1.5

figs: 2

apricots: 1.4

From the above table you can choose foods high in iron and incorporate them into your diet. Remember that you can get a lot needed iron from animal-based foods such as turkey, clams, and beef. To help vegetarians, or people planning on becoming vegetarians, I decided to focus on vegetable-based food options. Remember, even if you eat meat, the above options are very healthy and you should try to eat these foods often. What are your fave iron-rich meals?