Am I getting enough iron?!
Answers: I'm a vegetarian (mostly a vegan), and I'm really careful to get enough iron in my diet. But I'm worried about things that keep the body from absorbing iron, like caffeine. Lately I've switched from Pepsi to an herbal tea blend that includes zinc. Is this amount of zinc (about 100%, on top of what I get from my multi-vitamin), something to worry about? Can I make things better if I only drink the tea several hours after eating iron-rich food or taking supplements?
These are some really high sources of iron, but almost all plant based foods have some iron in them. Also if you eat something high in vitamin C with iron, you will absorb it better. Example cabbage is a great source of vitamin
C, make a cabbage, spinach salad with raw pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. I would not worry about taking vitamins or supplements if you have a well balanced diet, overdoing things can be toxic to your body, and you will absorb nutrients better when you eat them from there natural source.
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More good plant sources of iron include dried fruits, whole grains (including wholemeal bread), nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds and pulses. Other foods rich in iron but which are usually eaten in smaller amounts include soya flour, parsley, watercress, black molasses and edible seaweeds. The use of ironware when cooking foods also contributes to dietary intake.
Lots of spinach and you will be just fine.
You should NOT drink tea or coffee if you are worried about your iron levels. Tea has tannic acid (a polyphenol) in it, which lessens iron levels (found this out from donating blood, which you need lots of iron for). The effect is much less if it is several hours before or after eating, so that would help.
On the other hand, vitamin c helps with iron absorption. But it may be weird to have oranges and beans for lunch, so you may want to try a vitamin supplement.
You may want to try a tea that isn't zinc fortified, but your liver should be able to process the extra zinc... just don't drink several cups a day.