Making sure I get enough iron?!
Can someone tell me how I can make sure I get enough iron without having to go back to eating meat? (I don't want to take iron pills).
Answers: When I tried to go vegetarian years ago, I had to stop, partially because I wasn't getting enough iron (I was 16 I didn't know anything about diets lol). My doctor at the time told me I was dangerously close to becoming anemic, hence why I was tired all the time.
Can someone tell me how I can make sure I get enough iron without having to go back to eating meat? (I don't want to take iron pills).
Vegetarian food may actually work against you. Some components of vegetarian staples can actually hinder the absorption of nonheme iron. For example, a substance called phytate, found in whole grains and legumes, can limit iron absorption. Even soy, which is a good vegetarian source of iron, contains phytate and certain proteins that interfere with iron absorption. Other foods that obstruct iron absorption include coffee, tea (including some herbal teas), cocoa, calcium, fiber and some spices.
Never fear, vegetarians can maintain good iron stores. Certain vitamins and minerals are needed for your body to absorb iron. Vitamin C, in particular, is a potent enhancer of iron absorption if it's eaten at the same time as iron-rich foods. Most vegetarians get plenty of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, cauliflower, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, potatoes, cabbage and citrus. Try mixing and matching these with the items in our chart. For example, top iron-fortified cereal with strawberries and soymilk. Toss a spinach salad with orange segments and sesame seeds. And try to eat lots of the foods that contain both iron and vitamin C: broccoli, swiss chard, potatoes.
Other iron-essential nutrients include copper, manganese, vitamins A and D and the B-complex vitamins. In general, iron-enhancing and -inhibiting foods balance each other out in vegetarian meals. It also seems that your body adapts to varying dietary conditions over time, becoming more efficient at absorbing iron when you need more of it and absorbing less when supplies in your diet are abundant.
Although iron-deficiency anemia is among the most common nutritional deficiencies in the world, most people in the United States, Canada and other developed countries don't suffer from it. Those who are at risk include children and adolescents (whose growing bodies require increased iron intake to maintain stores) and women in their childbearing years (who lose iron through menstruation). This is why recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of iron vary by age and gender.
The RDA for premenopausal women is 15mg per day, while men and postmenopausal women should aim for 10mg per day. Premenopausal and pregnant women should consult their health care providers for advice about iron supplements. Men and postmenopausal women should avoid iron supplements since too much may carry its own risks.
The bottom line for vegetarians: If you routinely eat a good variety of foods, there's probably nothing to worry about. Just be mindful of the factors that affect iron absorption, and avoid a diet that's high in iron-blocking foods and low in iron-embracing ones. Some iron-filled foods include whole grain and iron-enriched breads and cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds, dark green and leafy vegetables and some dried fruits. Check our chart at right for more options and regularly include these foods in your diet.
Suzanne Havala Hobbs serves on the board of directors of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. A coffee- and cocoa-lover, she balances these 'Tron robbers" with vitamin C from lots of fruits and veggies.
good plant sources of
iron
FOOD (serving) IRON (mg)
Breads, Cereals and Grains
Cream of wheat, cooked (1 cup) 10.3
Bran flakes (3/4 cup) 8.1
Quinoa, cooked (1 cup) 4.0
Oatmeal, cooked (1 cup) 1.6
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 0.9
Legumes
Soybeans, cooked (1 cup) 8.8
Tofu (1/2 cup) 6.7
Lentils, cooked (1 cup) 6.6
Kidney beans, cooked (1 cup) 5.2
Garbanzo beans, cooked (1 cup) 4.7
Lima beans, cooked (1 cup) 4.5
Black-eyed peas, cooked (1 cup) 3.6
Pinto beans, cooked (1 cup) 3.6
Lentil soup (1 cup) 2.7
Tempeh (1/2 cup) 2.2
Nuts and Seeds
Sesame Tahini (2 Tbs.) 2.7
Sunflower seeds (1/4 cup) 2.4
Cashews (1/4 cup) 2.0
Fruits
Prune juice (8 oz.) 3.0
Apricots, dried (1/2 cup) 1.7
Figs, dried (1/2 cup) 1.5
Raisin (1/2 cup) 1.5
Vegetables
Spinach, cooked (1 cup) 6.4
Swiss chard, cooked (1 cup) 4.0
Mushrooms, cooked (1 cup) 2.7
Potato, baked with skin (medium) 1.9
Bok choy, cooked (1 cup) 1.8
Other
Blackstrap molasses (2 Tbs.) 7.2
have a lot of foods high in iron..like spinach
Peanuts, Spinach, Beans, all of the are very high in iron. Make sure to get plenty of vitamin C also, it helps in the absorption. The links give a long list of plant foods high in iron.
Beans, fortified cereals and whole grains, green leafy veggies like spinach, collards and kale, broccoli, raisins and molasses.
Iron Rich Foods
Foods that are a good source of iron include:
beans, including kidney, lima, navy, black, pinto, soy beans, and lentils
iron fortified whole grains, including cereals, breads, rice, and pasta
greens, including collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens
tofu
vegetables, including broccoli, swiss chard, asparagus, parsley, watercress, brussel sprouts
blackstrap molasses
nuts
egg yolks
dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, dates and apricots
it's also not bad to take "iron pills" they're really just vitamins, i take them every three days-ish, or when ever i thnk about it(you're not supposed to take them everyday)
Nutritiondata.com is a great resource. Find out what is recommended daily for you age and then enter the foods you eat each day to find out how much iron they contain. Get a good idea of where you are with the foods you eat now and if it's not enough then look at what foods you like that contain high levels of iron and eat more of those. That's going to be your best bet.
Beans and potatoes are high in iron. You can snack on pumpkin seeds for an iron boost. Use blackstrap molasses to make some muffins for breakfast. Here's a great recipe that I have made several times:
http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/2007/02/...
Don't go back to eating meat. Pills are better than eating cholesterol-filled meat. But you shouldn't have to do either if you just eat plenty of beans and figure out the iron content of the foods you eat and monitor your intake until you get a feel for what's right for you.
Good luck!
Don't go back to eating meat. Pills are better than eating cholesterol filled meat? What kind of advise is that? Don't eat the cholesterol filled meats. Eat the lean healthy ones. Eat a balanced diet of all the food groups, end of problem.
include some dark leafy vegetables in your diet, thats all you need to do.
This page tells you why we need iron, and where we get it from in a veggie diet:
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/iron.html