Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles.
There are two kinds of iron, heme iron which is found only in animal flesh, and non-heme iron which is found in plant foods like whole grains, nuts seeds legumes and leafy greens. While heme iron is more rapidly absorbed into our blood, our bodies are better able to regulate the absorption of non-heme iron to prevent it from rising to harmful levels.
Plant-Based Sources of Iron:
- Amaranth
- Apricots (dried)
- Beet Greens
- Black Beans
- Blackstrap Molasses
- Bok Choy
- Cashews
- Chickpeas
- Collard greens
- Chia seeds
- Kale
- Lentils
- Mung Beans
- Mushrooms
- Mustard
- Navy Beans
- Pak Choy
- Parsley
- Peas
- Pinto Beans
- Rolled Oats
- Sesame seeds
- Spinach
- Soy Beans
- Spirulina
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Sunflower Seeds
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Thyme
- Whole Wheat Bread
Foods that can inhibit Iron absorption
- Coffee
- Caffeinated Tea
- Red wine
- Soy
Foods that help with Iron absorption
- Tomatoes, oranges and other foods that containVitamin C
- Onions
- Garlic
- Broccoli
