Plant-based sources of iron
After my blog post about the iron content in spinach on Monday, fd asked about where to find iron in plant-based sources. I’m currently putting together lists of foods containing various vitamins and minerals for my clients, so this was a good research opportunity!
Bearing in mind that adult men need 8 mg of iron daily, and adult women need 18 mg daily (except postmenopausal women, who need 8 mg iron), here are a few plant-based sources that are high in iron:
1/4 or 1/2 avocado makes a tasty addition to a salad.
- 1/2 raw avocado: 1 mg.
- 1/2 cup cooked peas: 1.2 mg
- 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin: 1.7 mg
- 1/4 cup dried apricots: 1.5 mg
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas: 2.4 mg
- 1/2 cup cooked kidney beans: 3.3 mg
- 1/2 cup cooked lentils: 3.3 mg
- 1/2 cup cooked soybeans: 4.4 mg
- 1/2 cup firm tofu: 6.6 mg
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds: 2.5 mg
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds: 1.2 mg
- 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses: 3.5 mg
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa: 2.1 mg
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour: 1.2 mg
- 1 medium baked potato: 1.7 mg
Fortified dry cereals also often contain high amounts of iron.
You can also increase your absorption of iron by consuming the above foods at the same time as a food source high in vitamin C, since vitamin C greatly enhances iron absorption. Fermented, sprouted and yeasted foods all increase absorption of iron.
Calcium and tannins in tea both inhibit iron absorption, so try not to consume food sources high in calcium or tannin-containing tea when eating foods high in iron.
Iron is an important mineral – be sure your diet includes a variety of the foods above to increase the iron in your body!
I’m amazed! I was always told ‘eat your leafy greens!’. Thanks Sagan, I’m often a little low on iron (despite being a red meat eater) and this list will be really helpful. I’ve been struggling to imagine how I could possible eat more greens. But more avocado, lentils, pumpkin etc, I’ll eat quite happily! Yay.
Always happy to help 🙂 There are so many important nutrients in leafy greens – and I definitely think they should be consumed in large quantities daily – but there are a lot of other plant sources that we just don’t tend to eat on a regular basis. Variety wins!
Thanks Sagan this is very helpful.
Sagan, great info – THX!
Sagan – thank you for posting this – I always get this question..as a vegan, how do you get iron? Yaddah yahhh yahhh… love that you’re telling people it comes from plants..not just MEAT! 😉 Thanks!
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