The Vegetarian Useful resource Group Weblog

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by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Vegans seeking to increase their iron consumption have numerous choices. Listed here are some higher-iron meals, all with greater than 3 milligrams per serving,  a few of which can be shocking sources of iron. When product names are talked about, it’s as a result of a model I occurred to have a look at had the required quantity of iron. To place this in perspective, the RDA for iron is 8 milligrams for grownup males and for postmenopausal ladies and 18 milligrams for girls previous to menopause.

1. Search for an iron-fortified breakfast cereal. Whereas many fortified cereals include vitamin D from lanolin, Quaker prompt oats (8 milligrams of iron per packet), Dealer Joe’s O’s (8.1 milligrams of iron per 1-3/4 cup serving), and Grape Nuts (16.2 milligrams of iron per ½ cup serving) are among the cereals which can be fortified with iron and never with vitamin D.
2. Eat extra beans, a powerhouse meals in the case of iron. Lentils (6 milligrams of iron per cup), kidney beans (5.3 milligrams of iron per cup), chickpeas (5.2 milligrams of iron per cup), and black beans (5 milligrams of iron per cup) are among the many beans highest in iron.
3. Drink a cup of scorching cocoa. In the event you comply with the directions on the cocoa bundle and mix 2 Tablespoons of cocoa with a cup of (plant) milk, and a couple of Tablespoons of sugar, you’ll get 4 milligrams of iron from the cocoa alone.
4. Add spinach to soups, pasta sauce, and stir-fries. A cup of cooked spinach has 4.2 milligrams of iron.
5. Select an iron-rich canned soup. For instance, Amy’s Lentil Soup has 3.8 milligrams of iron in a can, Amy’s Black Bean Vegetable Soup has 3.9 milligrams of iron per can, a can of Amy’s Lentil Vegetable Soup has 4.3 milligrams of iron, and a can of Amy’s Indian Golden Lentil Soup has 4.7 milligrams of iron.
6. Toast a bagel for breakfast or a snack. A medium bagel made with iron-enriched flour has 3.75 milligrams of iron.
7. Snack on pumpkin seeds. 1 / 4 cup of hulled pumpkin seeds provides 4 milligrams of iron.
8. Warmth up a bowl of vegetarian chili. For comfort, use a canned product like Amy’s 3 Bean Vegetable Chili with 5 milligrams of iron in a cup.
9. Add shelled edamame to salads, soups, stir-fries, and different dishes. A cup of shelled edamame has about 4 milligrams of iron.
10. Combine barbecue sauce or peanut sauce with cubed tempeh and bake till heated via. A cup of tempeh cubes has 4.5 milligrams of iron.

You possibly can promote iron absorption from plant meals by together with a supply of vitamin C on the meal or snack with excessive iron meals. Citrus fruit and juices, tomatoes and tomato merchandise, cantaloupe, guava, mangos, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage, and bell peppers are all good sources of vitamin C.

To learn extra about iron within the vegan weight-reduction plan see:

Iron within the Vegan Eating regimen

Vegan Iron Sources within the Grocery Retailer

Latin American Vegan Meals Excessive in Iron

Sources of knowledge for the iron content material of meals was bundle labels and the U.S. Division of Agriculture, Agricultural Analysis Service, Beltsville Human Vitamin Analysis Middle. FoodData Central.

The contents of this web site and our different publications, together with Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, should not meant to supply private medical recommendation. Medical recommendation must be obtained from a certified well being skilled. We frequently rely upon product and ingredient info from firm statements. It’s unattainable to be 100% certain a couple of assertion, data can change, folks have completely different views, and errors will be made. Please use your finest judgment about whether or not a product is appropriate for you. To make sure, do additional analysis or affirmation by yourself.