Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Iron deficiency anemia can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. But as the body becomes more deficient in iron and anemia worsens, the signs and symptoms intensify.
Food has 2 types of iron. Heme iron and Non heme iron. Heme iron is found in non-vegetarian food and Non heme iron is found in plant based vegetarian foods.
Your body absorbs more iron from meat than it does from other sources. If you choose to not eat meat, you may need to increase your intake of iron-rich, plant-based foods.
Foods rich in iron include:
| Meat and Eggs
|
Seafood
|
Vegetables
|
Bread and Cereals
|
Fruit
|
Beans and Other Foods
|
| Beef
Lamb Ham Turkey Chicken Veal Pork Dried beef Liver Liverwurst Eggs (any style)
|
Shrimp
Clams Scallops Oysters Tuna Sardines Haddock Mackerel
|
Spinach
Sweet potatoes Peas Broccoli String beans Beet greens D Dandelion greens Collards Kale Chard
|
bread (enriched)
Whole wheat bread Enriched pasta Wheat products Bran cereals Corn meal Oat cereal Cream of Wheat Rye bread Enriched rice
|
Strawberries
Watermelon Raisins Dates Figs Prunes Prune juice Dried apricots Dried peaches
|
Tofu
Beans (kidney, garbanzo, white, canned) Tomato products Dried peas Dried beans Lentils Instant breakfast Corn syrup Maple syrup Molasses |
Choose foods containing vitamin C to enhance iron absorption
You can enhance your body’s absorption of iron by drinking citrus juice or eating foods rich in vitamin C.
Vitamin C is also found in:
- Broccoli
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Leafy greens
- Melons
- Oranges
- Peppers
- Strawberries
- Tangerines
- Tomatoes
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