Getting Enough Iron In Your Diet (Guide to Iron-rich Foods)

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Getting Enough Iron In Your Diet (Guide to Iron-rich Foods)

 

 

Many people are eating less red meat these days – a healthy trend!

But it's important to continue to eat other iron-rich foods. An iron-

fortified cereal is a good start, but there are many choices.

 

How To Find Iron-Rich Foods

 

Adult women need 15mg of iron a day, adult men require 10mg. How do

you get your fill? Good plant sources of iron include fortified

breakfast cereals, beans, soy foods, dark green leafy vegetables,

dried fruits and seeds. Shellfish are particularly rich. At a meal,

combining plant foods with small amounts of animal foods increases

iron absorption. Foods rich in vitamin C boost iron absorption as

well.

 

FOOD SERVING SIZE MILLIGRAMS IRON

Fortified breakfast cereal 1 cup 5-18

Soybean nuts 1/2 cup 4

Pumpkin seeds 1 ounce 4

Blackstrap molasses 1 tablespoon 3.5

Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup 3

Red kidney beans 1/2 cup 3

Chickpeas (garbanzos) 1/2 cup 2

Tofu 1/2 cup 2

Green peas 1/2 cup 1.5

Skinless chicken breast 3 ounces 1

Raisins 1/4 cup 1

Whole-wheat bread 1 slice 1