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What Foods Are a Good Source of Iron?

Iron is a vital mineral that plays a significant role in our bodily processes. It's a central element of various enzymes and proteins that help us to maintain good health. Iron works to transport oxygen throughout the body and helps with the regulation of cell differentiation and growth. This trace nutrient mineral is crucial component of our diets and needs be consumed daily. There are a range of foods that provide a good source of iron for our bodies.

  1. Identification

    • Iron is divided into primary types, which are known as heme and non-heme. Heme iron is derived from hemoglobin (animal's red blood cells) and comes from animal products. The body absorbs heme iron more easily than non-heme iron, which is attained from plant products. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron depends on a person's age; for healthy individuals 18 years of age and older, the RDA is 18 milligrams.

    Significance

    • The type of iron (heme and non-heme) that we intake plays an important role in terms of how our body is able to absorb it. Iron-rich foods that fall into the heme iron category include: beef, beef liver, chicken liver, clams, lamb, mackerel, mussels, oysters, pork liver, sardines, salmon, shrimp, tuna, trout and turkey. Iron-rich foods that fall into the non-heme iron category include: baked potatoes (with skin), asparagus, blackstrap molasses, cooked beans and lentils, dried fruits, enriched breakfast cereals and pastas, leafy greens like spinach and broccoli, mustard, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, soy milk (and other soy based products), tempeh, tofu and whole wheat bread.

    Additional Sources of Iron in Foods

    • Other iron sources from breads, cereals and grains include: pita, pumpernickel, whole wheat bread, bran muffins, cream of wheat cereal, farina, raisin bran and other fortified cereals. Fruits such as apricots, dates, prunes and watermelon provide iron, as do vegetables like beets, green beans, lima beans, peas, red or white kidney beans and garbanzo beans. Additional supplies of iron are also found in nuts, (especially pine) and seeds.

    Increasing Iron Absorption from Non-Heme Foods

    • There are different measures you can take to boost your body's absorption of iron from non-heme foods by eating non-heme and heme foods together and preparing non-heme foods in an iron skillet or pot. Foods that are rich in vitamin C like: broccoli, grapefruits, oranges, strawberries and tomatoes, are ascorbic acids and can help you metabolize iron better.

    Factors that Decrease Absorption from Non-Heme Foods

    • Certain foods and drinks can actually decrease the body's ability to absorb the iron in non-heme foods. For example, eating a lot of high fiber foods brands may slow down the absorption; as they contain polyphenols, which bind the iron and make it harder to absorb. Drinking excessive amounts of coffee and tea can also impede the digestion of iron and calcium can too; calcium supplements should not be taken at the same time as iron supplements.

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