Iron deficient diet About This Page:

[Luvsun]

Anyone have any suggestions for ways to get more iron in my meal plans.
I don't eat much red meat. In fact, I have limited my red meat to once every couple of weeks for quite a while now.
I know that spinach is a good source, but does it have to be cooked?
And I have never eaten lentils. Exactly what are they?
Thanks for any suggestions!

[Her Dotness]

No, spinach is great raw! I like it with some sliced strawberries, thinly sliced red onions and pecan halves with just a splash of extra-virgin olive oil.

Many people who've only eaten overcooked canned spinach hate it because overcooking (till it's a murky green color) brings out the acid which makes it taste nasty bitter.

Fresh raw or lightly steamed spinach has a mild flavor that is quite pleasant, I think. To cook, rinse quickly and shake or use a salad spinner to remove all but droplets. Nuke for 30 seconds and stir, five seconds more and stir until just wilted and still bright green. Or swirl it with a tiny bit of olive oil over low heat until the leaves have just wilted. Add a bit of fresh minced garlic if you like that and a sprinkle of salt maybe. You'll need a good five ounces for a nice-sized portion if steamed or sautéed.

A handful raw stirred into scrambled eggs just before the eggs are done is good, too. Add some grated parmesan or gruyere cheese. Yummy YUM!

[Her Dotness]

Lentils look like little flying saucers, I think. They cook up easily and don't require soaking like beans. Whole Foods has different colored ones in the bulk foods area. Any grocery will have bags of the common muddy briwn-colored ones along with the dried beans.

I think lentils taste a bit like refried beans.

Any Middle-Eastern cookbook or good vegetarian cookbook will have ideas for cooking lentils.

[Angela531]

Shellfish are good sources, especially Clams, Mussels and Shrimp. Also fortified cereals or pumpkin seeds.

[mamajab]

I love lentils. They're easy to cook; just simmer them with your favorite seasonings and herbs until soft. Add some bacon or sausage to the pot for wonderful flavoring, even if you don't eat it. I usually eat them hot, as a side dish or in soup, but they are also tasty as a salad. Beans are another good source. Spinach is a good source but the iron is better absorbed if it's cooked. Also, try to eat the iron rich food with a food rich in vitamin C; it aids the absorption. Conversely, avoid eating them with calcium rich foods because the opposite occurs.

[Huntermom]

I do not eat meat and was iron deficient for a while. I took over the counter iron at the recommendation of my doctor.

After a year I have recovered. I do eat spinach and kale every day (I love it) and eggs on a regular basis.

MY favorite quickie breakfast is to but some spinach in a bowl, layer a slice of swiss and then a raw, but scrambled egg. Microwave for a minute and you have a great, healthy breakfast in a minute.

[Huntermom]

10 Foods High in Iron - Everyday Health

If you like hummus it is easy to make your own. I also love beans and use them instead of meat.

[HiddenMickey]

I like spinach raw in salads. I'm actually eating a florentine pasta right now (which has cooked spinach in it).

Kale is great if you sprinkle it with olive oil and a bit of salt and then bake it in the oven to make chips. Google for a recipe to get the temperature (I think it's really low) and time.

[cbate717]

I was taking a daily multivitamin with Iron for a while. Just make sure you eat with it-made me very nauseous if I took it on an empty belly.

[GingerJ]

No joke: I've always heard that cooking in cast-iron pots and skillets will result in more iron in your food and then in your body.

This question inspired me to look it up and, lo and behold, studies show it's true!
Do You Absorb More Iron Cooking in a Cast Iron Pan? - Runners Connect

Good luck!

[Teresa]

Don't forget to up your Vitamin C intake also. Vitamin C helps the body to absorb and use Iron more efficiently.

Yams are another good source of iron.

[Ashli]

Originally Posted by Teresa

Yams are another good source of iron.

I think you mean sweet potatoes.

[Pax]

A useful idea might be to look up good sources of iron in a vegetarian diet. Even if you're still eating non-red meats (poultry, lamb, fish, etc) and aren't a vegetarian, there's still likely some good information in there.

One page I just found, for example, includes raisins (1/2 cup, packed, around 9% of recommended daily value for Iron), black beans (1 cup, boiled, good for 20% RDV), and even simple things like whole-wheat bread (1 slice should be good for about 4% ofyur RDV) and whole-wheat pasta (1/2 cup, boiled, good for ~2% of your RDV).