Thirty Non-Meat Food Options Abundant in Iron
Dive into the world of iron-rich delights and boost your iron intake for a healthier lifestyle!
Sweating through your spin class or just mindlessly scrolling through your phone, one thing's constant: Your body gulps down oxygen. Iron, an essential element, plays a critical role in keeping that ever-flowing oxygen supply going. As a core component of hemoglobin (which is the deal in red blood cells that carts oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body), iron is indispensable. It's also instrumental in energy production, hormone synthesis, neurological functioning, and more. Naturally, you'd want to know the tastiest ways to get a boost of this crucial mineral. Here's your lowdown on the best iron-packed snacks.
How much iron do you truly require daily?
Thing is, your body can't whip up iron on its own. While it can indeed recycle most of what it needs from outdated blood cells, it also craves a steady intake of iron through diet. Generally, adults need 8 to 18 mg of iron daily, with pregnant individuals demanding a beastly 27 mg daily.
Foods teeming with heme iron
Iron's presence can be divided into two categories: heme iron and nonheme. Heme iron is easier to gobble up by the body, while both types are vital for a well-rounded diet.
Heme iron takes center stage in animal foods. Here's a rundown of some of the best options you'll find.
1. Red meat and organ meats
- Beef liver: 31% of the Daily Value (DV) per 3-ounce serving
- Chicken liver: 28% of the DV per 44-gram portion
- Beef steak: 71% of the DV per 360-gram steak
- Venison tenderloin: 20% of the DV per 3-ounce serving
2. Shellfish
- Oysters (cooked): 44% of the DV per 3-ounce serving
- Clams (cooked): 13% of the DV per 3-ounce serving
- Mussels (cooked): 32% of the DV per 3-ounce serving
3. Fish
- Sardines: 15% of the DV per 3.75-ounce can
- Tuna: 6% of the DV per 3-ounce serving
- Salmon: 6% of the DV per 178-gram fillet
4. Poultry and eggs
- Dark turkey meat: 7% of the DV per 3-ounce serving
- Dark chicken meat: 7% of the DV per 3.5-ounce serving
- Hard-boiled eggs: 7% of the DV per 2 large eggs
Foods overflowing with nonheme iron
Unlike animal foods, plant foods only hold nonheme iron.
Several plant-based foods like green leafy vegetables naturally contain nonheme iron, but many foods are fortified with iron during manufacturing.
Here's a look at some of the finest sources of nonheme iron.
1. Leafy greens
- Spinach: 36% of the DV per cooked cup
- Swiss chard: 22% of the DV per cooked cup
- Beet greens: 22% of the DV per cooked cup
2. Beans and lentils
- Lentils: 37% of the DV per cooked cup
- Tofu (made from soybeans): 34% of the DV per cooked cup
- Black beans: 28% per cooked cup
3. Fruits and fruit juice
- Prune juice: 16% of the DV per cup
- Dried apricots: 12% of the DV per half cup
- Dried mulberries: 28% of the DV per 40-gram serving (approximately one-third cup)
4. Grains and fortified foods
- Fortified Cheerios: 45% of the DV per cup
- Quinoa: 15% of the DV per cooked cup
- Oats: 12% of the DV per cooked cup
5. Nuts and seeds
- Pumpkin seeds: 13% of the DV per 1-ounce serving
- Hemp seeds: 13% of the DV per 1-ounce serving
- Cashews: 11% of the DV per 1-ounce serving
6. More iron-bursting plant foods
- Canned coconut milk: 21% of the DV per half cup
- Dark chocolate (70-85% cacao solids): 19% of the DV per 1-ounce serving
- Stewed tomatoes (canned): 18% of the DV per cooked cup
Optimize your nonheme iron absorption by incorporating sources of vitamin C, like lemon juice or orange juice. This will help iron absorption while adding a zesty flavor to your meals.
For example, squeeze a bit of lemon juice on sautéed spinach or Swiss chard, or toss some orange slices into a grain bowl packed with amaranth and chickpeas.
Signs of iron deficiency
Iron deficiency is the foremost nutrient deficiency on the planet. If your body doesn't have enough iron, it can slide into iron deficiency anemia when your iron stores get utterly depleted, and hemoglobin concentrations in red blood cells start to dwindle. Iron deficiency can't be diagnosed based solely on symptoms; testing is necessary.
When iron stores plunge, you might experience symptoms like general weakness, fatigue, pale skin, feeling cold, decreased exercise capacity, headaches, poor concentration, shortness of breath, irritability, dry mouth, hair loss, craving ice, and craving non-food items like clay, brittle nails, and restless legs.
Never attempt to diagnose yourself. Seek advice from a healthcare professional when encountering these symptoms.
Who's in the risk zone for iron deficiency?
Certain individuals are more predisposed to developing iron deficiency anemia, including:
- Menstruating individuals
- Pregnant folks
- People with specific medical conditions (like kidney disease, cancer, heart failure, and inflammatory bowel disease)
- People who've gone through certain surgeries like bariatric surgery
- Individuals with obesity
- Elderly people
- Endurance athletes
- Children in developing countries
- Infants
- People who frequently donate blood
- Those who follow restrictive diets (like a vegan diet)
- People experiencing food insecurity
Do you require a supplement?
If your doctor determines that you have an iron deficiency, they'll likely recommend oral iron supplements. Iron supplements are generally best taken on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before a meal and 2 hours before other medications. You can, however, take your iron supplement with a bit of food if you're enduring stomach upset.
Some types of iron, like ferrous sulfate, are more likely to produce side effects like constipation and nausea than other forms like iron bisglycinate.
To make sure you're properly absorbing your iron supplement, steer clear of taking it with milk, calcium supplements, antacid medications, high fiber foods, or caffeine.
The iron found in iron supplements is more readily available to your body compared to the iron in food. That's fantastic if you need extra iron, but it means it's easier to overdo it on iron via supplements than through food alone.
When to avoid supplements
For the vast majority of people, it's possible (and healthier!) to meet their iron needs through diet.
If your iron levels are normal, it's unhealthy to ingest additional iron. Excessive iron intake can damage cells, ultimately leading to iron toxicity. This can manifest in symptoms like nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Over the long haul, it can harm your heart, kidneys, and central nervous system. Iron toxicity is more common in children than adults.
If you have queries about how to take iron supplements or whether you should take them at all, consult your doctor. They'll be able to help you determine the best course of action and can suggest supplements from trustworthy brands.
Summing up
There are a plethora of iron-rich foods to sustain your iron levels.
Animal foods like beef, chicken liver, shellfish, and eggs provide you with plenty of heme iron. Plant foods like spinach, lentils, oats, and pumpkin seeds cover your nonheme iron needs.
Individuals who are deficient in iron may require iron supplements or iron transfusions, but be sure to consult with a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and management.
- For a well-rounded diet, it's essential to consume both heme iron and nonheme iron, with heme iron primarily found in animal foods such as beef, chicken liver, shellfish, and eggs.
- Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide and symptoms may include general weakness, fatigue, pale skin, feeling cold, decreased exercise capacity, headaches, poor concentration, shortness of breath, irritability, dry mouth, hair loss, craving ice, and craving non-food items like clay, brittle nails, and restless legs.
- Individuals at a higher risk of iron deficiency anemia include menstruating individuals, pregnant people, those with specific medical conditions, people who've undergone bariatric surgery, individuals with obesity, the elderly, endurance athletes, children in developing countries, infants, frequent blood donors, people following restrictive diets, people experiencing food insecurity, and those who follow vegetarian or vegan diets.
- The iron found in iron supplements is more readily available to the body compared to the iron in food, but it's important to be cautious and consult with a healthcare professional to determine if supplements are necessary, as excessive iron intake can lead to iron toxicity.
