Healthy Foods That Are Excellent Sources of Iron

11/30/2023

These foods will help you meet your iron needs and improve your overall well-being. 

Spinach: 

It is one of the most popular leafy green vegetables that comes with numerous essential elements. It’s totally up to you how you want to have it. You can take it raw, boiled, and as a salad. Being filled with iron is one of the core properties of spinach. People with iron deficiency can go for spinach to fulfill their iron deficiency. 

As per the USDA, 1 cup of healthy boiled spinach delivers around 3.8 gm of iron, making it one of the easiest sources of iron for vegetarian people. Other than this, it is also known for being a good source of protein, fiber, calcium, Vitamin A & E, etc.  

In an era of MacDonald’s and Domino’s, would you like to eat green leafy vegetables? Taste departments across the world hear the same unpleasant reviews regarding green vegetables, especially from children and teenagers. Adding this vegetable into recipes anyhow will result in a secret iron boost. Anzlovar says it results in more favorable outcomes when consumed with food rich in Vitamin C. 

Lentil: 

Another great source of iron is lentils. Lentils are easily accessible at very pocket-friendly prices across the world. Consuming one cup of cooked lentils delivers you around 6.6 mg of iron, making it an excellent source of iron. It also provides one of the major micronutrients, i.e., fiber. One regular cup of lentils efficiently delivers approximately 15.6 g of fiber. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health states that consuming fiber offers a wide range of benefits, such as: 

• Helps in lowering the cholesterol 

• Works to stabilize blood sugar 

Cooking lentils is beyond easy. They can be consumed in the form of soup, salad, and many other ways. You can also take new recipes from YouTube to make the process easy-going. 

Sesame seeds: 

Do you remember you recently had a burger with sesame seeds on its top? Wasn’t that tasty? Sesame seeds are one of those foods that are used widely by everyone in different ways. It gives a nutty taste to your mouth and thousands of benefits to your overall health. Sesame seeds come out as a great source of healthy fats, antioxidants, minerals, fiber, etc. Taking one tablespoon of sesame seeds gives you about 1.3mg of iron, according to the USDA. 

You can combine sesame seeds into your diet in various ways, such as sprinkling sesame seeds on your salad. In case you are allergic to it, avoid its consumption and look out for other alternatives. 

Pumpkin seeds: 

Halloween is around the corner, and you must be all set to make your home a spooky spot. Celebrating Halloween without pumpkins and other creepy stuff makes it quite boring. Do you even know you can later use those pumpkin seeds to boost your iron intake? Yes, you heard it right. Pumpkin seeds stand as a great source of iron. As mentioned by USDA, 1 oz of raw pumpkin seeds delivers around 2.3 mg of iron every time. 

Pumpkin seeds can be used in different ways in a wide range of dishes. You can take them as a healthy and quick snack.         

Seafood:

Do you like exploring beaches and spending your summers near oceans? While you relax in your cozy space near the shore of the ocean, don’t forget to splurge on the seafood appetizer! Sea appetizers such as clams, mussels, oysters, etc, are rich in various nutrients such as iron, as per Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. According to USDA, having six raw oysters is efficient enough to deliver 4.9 mg of iron, making them a great source of essential minerals like iron. Oysters are also packed with other necessary minerals such as zinc and vitamin B12. 

• Zinc makes the immune system strong enough to fight against various viruses and bacteria. 

• On the other hand, vitamin B12 is effective in keeping nerves and blood cells healthy.

Mayo Clinic states that if mussels, oysters, and clams are not easily accessible, then you can munch on common seafood choices as well.  Common seafood also holds some amount of iron. 

Chickpeas: 

Undoubtedly, animal products are known as the best iron source. However, it doesn’t mean you cannot access iron from plant-based staples. There are so many plant-based foods that are a good option for humans to seize important minerals like iron. One of the greatest and best plant-based foods that is packed with iron in a high amount is chickpeas. One of the easily accessible options with thousands of benefits is chickpeas. One cup of chickpeas delivers 1.5mg of iron per cup, as per the USDA. This popular legume is also rich in plant-based protein, offering ultimate benefits to your health.  

You can easily mix chickpeas into your daily diet in thousands of unique ways. You can consume it as a soup or dress your salad with it. If you are not really excited to take it as a main course, you can take it as a snack. To convert it into a snack, you need to boil a cup of chickpeas and add lemon, coriander, or whatever you like as toppings to make it yummy. 

Black Beans: 

Black beans are also one of the wonderful sources of iron. As per the USDA, you can get around 3.6 mg of iron from boiled black beans in 1 cup consumption. Pair them with nutritious foods like kale, bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower to boost iron absorption. Those foods are rich in vitamin C, a substance that enables the consumption of non-heme iron, according to MedlinePlus. Consume these beans in the following different ways: 

• Toss beans into a stir-fry

• Add them to a salad

• Purée them into a dip to eat with raw vegetables

Black beans can be consumed in countless recipes! The USDA also notes that kidney, pinto, and fava beans contain iron if you're searching for more variety.

Conclusion:  

The food items listed above are some of the incredible sources of iron. If you are someone having an iron deficiency, add these foods to your diet to fulfill your iron needs. However, if you are allergic to the above-listed plant-based or animal-based iron sources, please go for other safer alternatives. Consuming these foods via your daily diet on a daily basis will definitely result in an improvement in your iron level. 

FAQs:

1. What are the best dietary sources of iron?

Undoubtedly, iron is one of the essential minerals that play a significant role in the human body. The human body needs iron for growth and development. There are certain functions in our body that completely rely on the iron. One of the most important functions is moving oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the organs. Therefore, you should increase the intake of this vital mineral. 

Sources of heme iron:

• Meats 

• Poultry 

• Seafood 

 Sources of non-heme iron: 

• Nuts 

• Grain 

• Legumes 

• Vegetables 

2. How much iron do I need daily?

The requirement for iron intake varies according to age and gender. Non-heme iron from plant foods is not absorbed by the body as effectively as heme iron from animal foods. Therefore, vegetarians who abstain from meat, poultry, and shellfish require nearly twice as much iron as indicated in the table.

• Birth to 6 months: 0.27mg

• Infants 7 to 12 months: 11mg

• Children 1 to 3 years: 7mg

• Children 4 to 8 years: 10mg

• Teen boys: 11mg 

• Teen girls: 15mg 

• Adult men: 8mg

• Adult women: 18mg 

• Pregnant women: 27mg

3. What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?

Iron is one of the important minerals that plays several vital roles in the body. The initial stage of iron deficiency may not show any evident symptoms. However, as soon as the iron deficiency worsens, you may go through the following symptoms: 

• Weakness 

• Pale skin 

• Extreme fatigue 

• Brittle nails 

• Poor appetite 

• Cold hands and feet

• Inflammation 

4. Are there foods that inhibit iron absorption?

There are certain food items that hinder the iron absorption of the body, for example:   

• Absorption from plant sources may be decreased by soy proteins. 

• Wholegrains like bran include phytates and fibers that might hinder the absorption of iron and other elements.