Iron in Your Diet

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Iron in Your Diet


The best food sources of easily absorbed iron are animal products, which contain heme iron. Iron from vegetables, fruits, grains and supplements (non-heme iron) is harder for the body to absorb. If you mix some lean meat, fish, or poultry with beans or dark leafy greens at a meal, you can improve absorption of vegetable sources of iron up to three times. Foods rich in vitamin C also increase iron absorption.

Some foods decrease iron absorption. Commercial black or pekoe teas contain substances that bind to iron so it cannot be used by the body.

Consider the amount absorbable iron in a food, not just the total iron content. Iron sources that have high iron availability include the following:
Oysters
Liver
Lean red meat (especially beef)
Poultry, dark red meat
Tuna
Salmon
Iron-fortified cerelas
Dried beans
Whole grans
Eggs (especially egg yolks)
Dried fruits
Dark leafy green vegetables
Reasonable amounts of iron are also found in lamb, pork, and shellfish. Non-heme iron is found in the following:

Whole Grains

Wheat
Millet
Oats
Brown Rice
Legumes

Lima Beans
Soybeans
Dried beans and peas
Kidney beans
Seeds

Almonds
Brazil Nuts
Dried Fruits

Prunes
Raisins
Apricots
Vegetables

Broccoli
Spinach
Kale
Collards
Asparagus
Dandelion Greens