|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutrition

Foods Other Than Red Meat That Contain Iron

Iron is a necessary mineral for carrying and storing oxygen in your blood. All people need iron for good nutrition but pregnant women require three times the amount an adult male does. Iron is highly present in red meat, but if you are opposed to eating red meat and prefer not to take supplements, many other foods contain ample amounts of iron.

  1. Types of Iron

    • Iron is available naturally in two forms: heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron is naturally found in the hemoglobin protein of animals and fish. Non-heme is the type of iron found in vegetables and is the kind used to enrich food products such as ready-to-eat cereals. And while heme iron can be more easily absorbed than non-heme, one is not more beneficial than the other.

    Recommended Daily Allowance

    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that adult males from the ages of 19 to 70 get at least 8 milligrams of iron per day. Children from 6 months to 18 years fluctuate in iron needs between 7 and 11 milligrams a day. The exception are young women, who will require up to 15 milligrams per day once they've started menstruation. From the ages of 19 to 50, women need at least 18 milligrams of iron per day with pregnant women requiring at least 27.

    Non-Red Meat and Fish

    • Chicken livers contain a large amount of iron, nearly 13 milligrams per 3-1/2 ounce serving. Other non-red meat and fish that contain iron include oysters, the dark meat of chicken and turkey, chicken breast, tuna, crab, shrimp and sardines.

    Vegetables, Beans and Legumes

    • Many vegetables and beans contain non-heme iron. The body has a more difficult time absorbing non-heme iron so it is important, if you are a vegetarian or are otherwise required to get more iron into your body, that you also eat foods that can help non-heme iron absorption such as foods that contain Vitamin C. Vegetables, beans and legumes that have a good amount of iron include spinach, soybeans and lentils, black, navy, pinto, kidney and lima beans.

    Grains, Cereals and Other Foods

    • Enriched, ready-to-eat cereals can have up to 100 percent of the daily value of iron. Other sources of iron in grains and bread can be found in whole wheat, enriched white bread and grits. Other foods containing iron include almonds, peanuts, cashews and blackstrap molasses.

Nutrition - Related Articles