Iron is highly important for your general health and well being. There are two types of iron: heme iron and non-heme iron. The heme iron can be found in meat and fish and the non-heme iron can be found in vegetables, fruits, and nuts. The non-heme iron is not absorbed entirely by your organism, while the heme iron is absorbed almost entirely.
The daily value of iron that you should get from balanced nutrition is 18 mg. You can reach this amount easily, by consuming the right type of foods that will provide you the iron supplies your organism needs.
A lack of iron can lead to anemia and symptoms like fatigue. Let’s find out what iron rich foods you can add on your daily diet in order to be healthy.
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Spinach
You sure know that Popeye got his strength from eating spinach, so it’s a vegetable that you should consume regularly. It has many benefits and a low amount of calories. 100 gr of spinach contains 3,6mg of iron, approx 20% of your daily necessities. Though it is a non-heme type of iron, it also contains vitamin C, which significantly increases the iron absorption.
Spinach’s also high in vitamin A, vitamin K1, folic acid. It improves also eyes health, reduces oxidative stress and blood pressure levels.
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Liver
Organs of the animals, such as the liver, kidneys are highly nutritive and 100 grams of the liver contains 6.5mg of iron, which is 36% of your daily needs.
It’s also rich in high-quality proteins and low in calories.
The common sources of the liver are chicken, duck, pig, lamb.
Organs meats are also high in copper, vitamin B, selenium and especially in vitamin A. Also, they are a source for choline, an essential nutrient.
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Red Meat
Red meat is a great source of iron, heme iron more exactly and that is why it’s the best choice for people who fight anemia. As a general rule, the darker is the meat, the more iron will provide. Beef meat contains more iron than pork, which contains more iron than chicken or salmon.
100 grams of beef meat, per example, contains 2.7 mg of iron, which is 15% of DV. It’s also rich in selenium, zin, vitamin B and high-quality protein.
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Shellfish
Shellfish are both tasty and nutritious. Regarding their iron contains, the best choices are oysters, clams and mussels.
For example, 100 grames of clams contain 28mg of iron, which is 155% of the daily necessity. Even more, we are talking about heme iron, the one that is absorbed more easily by your organism. They are also rich in protein, vitamin C and vitamin B12.
All shellfish are rich in nutrients.
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Legumes
Legumes are full of nutrients. The most common are beans, lentils, chickpeas. They are a source of iron.
For example, a cup of cooked lentils contains 6.6 mg of iron, which is 37% of the RDI.
Legumes have also other nutrients, such as magnesium, potassium, and folate. They have other benefits for our health, as researchers have shown that beans can reduce inflammation in people that suffer from diabetes.
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Nuts
The nuts that provide a higher amount of iron are macadamia, almonds, cashew, pine nuts. They contain non-heme iron, approx 1 – 1.6 mg per 100 gram, which is between 6-9% of the daily necessities. They are also a great source for protein, good fats, fiber minerals, and vitamins.
They are best to be served raw, in order not to lose the quality of the nutrients. You can choose to consume them simply or in salads.
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White Mushrooms
White mushrooms are high in iron and they make a great choice. 100 grames of this type of mushrooms contain 2.7 mg of iron, which is 15% of the RDI.
They are also a good source for protein, vitamin C, folate, zinc, vitamin D. They are also low in fat and calories.
Iron is crucial for every organism and has an important role in human health. It’s better to include foods rich in iron in your daily menu in order to keep good health. Your body cannot produce it on its own, so you must help it by consuming the right foods. Even for vegetarians, exist numerous legumes and nuts that can be added to the daily menu in order to get the right intake of iron.