Iron Rich Resources
IRON RICH SOURCES
Certain vitamins and minerals are needed for your body to absorb iron. Vitamin C, in particular, is a potent enhancer of iron absorption if it’s eaten at the same time as iron-rich foods. Most vegetarians get plenty of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, cauliflower, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe, potatoes, cabbage and citrus. For example, top iron-fortified cereal with strawberries and soy milk. Toss a spinach salad with orange segments and sesame seeds. And try to eat lots of the foods that contain both iron and vitamin C: broccoli, Swiss chard, potatoes.
Other iron-essential nutrients include copper, manganese, vitamins A and D and the B-complex vitamins. In general, iron-enhancing and -inhibiting foods balance each other out in vegetarian meals.
GOOD PLANT SOURCES OF IRON
Grain/Cereal
Bran Flakes, 8.1 per ¾ cup serving
Quinoa, cooked 4.0 mg per 1 cup serving
Oatmeal, cooked, 1.6 mg per 1 cup serving
Whole Wheat bread, 0.09 mg per 1 slice
Legumes
Soybeans, cooked 8.8 mg per 1 cup serving
Tofu, 6.7 mg. per ½ c serving
Lentils, cooked 6.6 mg per 1 cup serving
Kidney Beans, cooked 5/2 mg per 1 cup serving
Garbanzo Beans, cooked 4.6 per 1 cup serving
Black-Eyed Peas, cooked 4.3mg per 1 cup serving
Black Beans, cooked 3.6 per 1 cup serving
Pinto Beans, cooked 3.6 mg per 1 cup servings
Tempeh 2.2mg per ½ cup serving
Nuts & Seeds
Sesame Tahini 2.7 mg per 2 tbsp. serving
Sunflower Seeds, 2.4mg per ¼ cup serving
Cashews 2.0 mg per ¼ cup serving
Fruit
Prune Juice 3.0mg per 8 oz. serving
Apricots, dried 1.7mg per 1n2/ cup serving
Figs & Raisins, dried 1.5mg per 1/5 cup serving
Vegetables
Spinach, cooked 6.4mg per 1 cup serving
Swiss Chard, cooked 4.0 per 1 cup serving
Mushrooms, cooked 2.7mg per 1 cup serving
Bok Choy, cooked 1.8 per 1 cup serving
Other
Black Strap Molasses 7.2mg per 2 tbsp. serving