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What Is Iron Rich Food?

Iron is an essential dietary mineral that plays a vital role in the production of hemoglobin. A depletion of iron stores in the body can cause several health problems and side effects, including lethargy, difficulty sleeping and weak metabolism. The easiest way to restore iron levels is to eat a variety of iron rich food in addition to an iron supplement.

  1. Types

    • Iron rich food can be divided into two main categories--food that is a source of either heme or non-heme iron. Heme iron is readily available in red meat, chicken, turkey and fish, and is readily absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron is found in fruits, vegetables, grain products, lentils, dried beans and nuts.

    Types

    • Types of iron rich food include beef, shrimp, sardines, turkey, beef liver, chicken liver, oysters, enriched breakfast cereal, cooked lentils, cooked beans, pumpkin seeds, canned beans, enriched pasta, canned asparagus, baked potato with the skin, blackstrap molasses, dried apricots, raisins, prunes, cooked peas, cooked potatoes, oat flakes, pure tahini and hummus.

    Key Benefits

    • Food that is high in iron offers several health benefits, including increased energy, rapid recovery from injury, improved functioning of the muscles and organs, reduced risk of developing anemia and healthy cardiovascular functioning.

    Warnings

    • Certain foods interfere with the absorption of iron and must be avoided when consuming iron rich food. These include milk, egg whites, fresh spinach, soy products, red wine, sweet potato, rhubarb, beet greens, bran products dairy products, tea, coffee and sodas. Also, women who are pregnant should refrain from eating liver because liver contains a significant amount of Vitamin A which can be harmful to the baby.

    Considerations

    • Even though some food naturally contains high levels of iron, your body may not be able to absorb all of the nutrients easily. However, there are several ways that you can ensure that iron is readily absorbed by the body. For example, raw food is absorbed very efficiently by the body. Eating food that is high in Vitamin C in conjunction with the iron rich food can also increase absorption. Iron absorption enhancers include broccoli, tomato and tomato juice, green and red peppers, white wine, orange juice, strawberries, grapefruit and cantaloupe.

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