List of Foods With High Amounts of Iron

Eating a well balanced diet will provide the vitamins and minerals you need for a healthy body. Iron is a mineral you need because it carries oxygen from your lungs through the body. Iron is found in vegetables and meats. An iron deficiency can delay growth in babies or cause fatigue in children and adults. Your doctor will provide treatment if it is determined that you have an iron deficiency.

Function

• According to the United States Department of Agriculture, iron is a mineral found in the blood. It is important for life because iron carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of your body. It is found in plants, meat, poultry and fish. Eating foods high in iron can help keep you and your family healthy.

Fact

• There are two forms of iron found in foods; heme and nonheme. According to Prevention Magazine, heme is the more absorbable of the two. Heme iron is found in shellfish such as clams, beef, chicken and most kinds of seafood such as shrimp. Nonheme iron is found in leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, dried fruit, beans such as lentils and molasses.

Types

• According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are several good sources of iron in a healthy diet. Foods high in iron include:

  • Fortified foods: cereals, oatmeal or rice
  • Green leafy vegetables: spinach, mustard greens or collard greens
  • Seafood: salmon, shrimp or oysters
  • Legumes: kidney beans or soy beans
  • Nuts: almonds, cashews or sunflower seeds
  • Poultry: turkey, chicken or eggs
  • Red meat: pork, beef or lamb

Considerations

• There are also foods that help your body absorb iron better. According to the CDC, eating fruits or vegetables that are rich in vitamin C is beneficial to absorbing iron, particularly when they are eaten together. For instance, an iron-balanced meal may include salmon, a baked potato, spinach and a glass of orange juice. If you are a vegetarian, a meal may include chickpeas and rice, broccoli and a glass of tomato juice.

Benefits

• Iron has several benefits. According to Foods High in Iron, having the recommended levels of iron will help increase oxygen supply to your muscles. It will also increase your resistance to disease and stress and prevent fatigue. According to the CDC, iron is a part of many enzymes and is used in many cell functions. When we do not have enough iron, it affects many parts of our body.

Warning

• If your iron levels become too low, an iron-deficiency known as anemia develops. According to Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology, when you have anemia, you will feel week, tired, and have shortness of breath. In adults, anemia can be caused by chronic blood loss, such as menstruation. Usually, children become anemic due to low amounts of iron in their diet. Your doctor will do blood tests to look for iron deficiency and provide an appropriate treatment or prescription.

Recommended Daily Intake of Iron

• • Infants
  o 7 to 12 months, 11 mg/day
  • Children
  o 1 to 3 years, 7mg/day
  o 4 to 8 years, 10mg/day
  • Males
  o 9 to 13 years, 8mg/day
  o 14 to 18 years, 11mg/day
  o 19 to 70+ years, 8mg/day
  • Females
  o 9 to 13 years, 8mg/day
  o 14 to 18 years, 15mg/day
  o 19 to 50 years, 18mg/day
  o 51 to 70+ years, 8mg/day
  • Pregnant women
  o 14 to 50 years, 27mg/day
  • Lactating women
  o 14 to 18 years, 10mg/day
  o 19 to 50 years, 9mg/day