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