Iron in diet

Alternative names:

diet and iron

Food sources:

The best food sources of easily absorbed iron are animal products (heme iron). Iron from vegetables, fruits, grains, and supplements (non heme iron) are harder for the body to absorb. If you mix some lean meat, fish, or poultry with beans or dark leafy greens at a meal, you can improve absorption of vegetable sources of iron up to three times. Foods rich in vitamin C also increase iron absorption.

Some foods decrease iron absorption. Commercial black or pekoe teas contain substances that bind to iron so it cannot be used by the body. The evaluation of absorbable iron in a food is a more accurate way to calculate iron available to the body than by simply recording the total iron content.

Iron sources that have high iron availability are:
oysters
liver
lean red meat (especially beef)
poultry, dark red meat
tuna fish
salmon
iron fortified cereals
dried beans
whole grains
eggs (especially egg yolks)
dried fruits
dark leafy green vegetables

Reasonable amounts are also found in lamb, pork, and shellfish.

Nonheme iron is found in:

• whole grains such as wheat, millet, oats, and brown rice
• legumes: lima beans, soybeans, dried beans and peas, kidney beans
• seeds such as almonds and Brazil nuts
• dried fruits: prunes, raisins, and apricots
• vegetables: broccoli, spinach, kale, collards, asparagus, dandelion greens