|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutrition

Iron Supplement Foods

Iron is an important component to the human diet in that it transports oxygen to cells, which stimulates cell growth. Two types of iron can be found in food. Heme iron is found in the meat of animals that once contained hemoglobin. Nonheme iron is found in vegetables, plants and grains. Although heme iron is absorbed faster into our systems, nonheme iron is more readily found in our diet.

  1. Chicken Liver

    • This chicken liver pate is a great source of iron.

      Cooked chicken liver has the biggest iron source of any food. It contains 12.8 milligrams of iron, making up 70 percent of our daily recommended value of iron.

    Ready-to-Eat Cereal

    • Some dry cereal is 100 percent iron fortified.

      Pour a 3/4 cup of dry cereal that is 100 percent iron fortified, add a little milk and you have an iron-rich breakfast with 18 milligrams of iron, or 100 percent of your recommended daily iron intake.

    Oatmeal

    • Prepare your oatmeal with a little water and you will have an iron-rich breakfast.

      Instant or original, one cup of oatmeal is a great source of iron. Prepare it over the stove with hot water and you have a light breakfast with 10 milligrams of iron, making up 60 percent of your daily value of iron.

    Soybeans

    • Boil mature soybeans for a light snack containing 8.8 milligrams of iron and providing 50 percent of your daily value of iron. Soybeans are also called edamame and can be found at at your local grocery store.

    Lentils

    • Boil one cup of lentils in a hot soup, add a few vegetables and you will have a meal containing more than 6.6 milligrams of iron with a daily iron value of 35 percent.

    Kidney Beans

    • Kidney beans are great in soup.

      These little red beans can be boiled and thrown into a soup or salad to make a meal supplying 5.2 milligrams of iron and 25 percent of your daily iron value. Measure out one cup of these boiled beans for the correct portion.

    Oysters

    • Bread and fry up six oysters and munch on a seafood with 4.5 milligrams of iron and 25 percent of your daily value of iron.

    Beef

    • Beef is a great source of heme iron.

      Three ounces of lean, braised beef chuck will provide 3.2 milligrams of iron per serving giving you 20 percent of your daily value of iron.

Nutrition - Related Articles