How to Increase Iron Intake Without Supplements

Iron is a necessary mineral for your system and overall health, particularly in the forming of healthy blood cells. If your daily iron intake is insufficient, you may find yourself feeling tired and stand chance of becoming anemic. The required amounts of iron for proper daily intake are 8 mg for men and pre-menopausal women. The required levels increase for post-menopausal and pregnant women to 18 mg and 27 mg respectively. Ensuring the proper levels of iron in your diet is achievable by following the simple steps listed below.

Instructions

• 1

  Choose a diet that includes iron-rich meat and poultry such as pork loin, clams, liver, oysters and many more. Cereals that are high in iron content also enable you to increase your iron intake through your diet, along with indulging in dark leafy greens, prunes, figs and most beans.

• 2

  Increase your Vitamin C intake levels as a means of enhancing iron absorption. The Vitamin C acts as a catalyst for the iron, by multiplying the nutritional benefits. Take orange juice, and large servings of Vitamin C rich vegetables such as: asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, spinach, cabbage, turnip greens and peppers. Vitamin C rich fruits include cantaloupe, honeydew, grapefruit, mango, kiwi fruit, orange, strawberries and watermelon.

• 3

  Cook your food in an iron skillet as another way of adding a small amount of iron to your daily intake. This may sound odd, but it has been proven to be successful. Using the iron skillet not only adds iron to the food, but also cooks it more evenly as well.

• 4

  Limit your daily intake of caffeinated drinks, as these been proven to lower your body's natural absorption of iron. Caffeine has also been proven to be toxic to our bodies when used in extreme amounts.

• 5

  Experiment with new and unusual recipes as well as different foods that offer a higher level of natural iron. This will help you avoid getting bored from eating the same foods over and over, and encourages a wider variety of foods to be used. Find recipes online, in cookbooks and even from friends. Creativity is a crucial factor when infusing your diet with healthy foods, and the longer you maintain the healthy practices, the sooner it becomes a good eating habit.