Foods rich in iron: table, food list, benefits, recipes and cooking tips

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 00:50

One of the most common diseases of the 21st century is associated with hematology, and its name is iron deficiency anemia. Most often, this condition is observed in women, especially pregnant women, and children. Pathology occurs for various reasons. But to eliminate it, only one thing is necessary - to make up for the lack of iron. Tables with foods rich in this element will help you understand what to eat for people suffering from this pathology.

Why does the body need iron?

Each substance that enters the human body performs a particular function. Iron is an essential element for the normal process of hematopoiesis. It also supports the he alth of the musculoskeletal system, favorably affects the condition of the hair and promotes a good metabolism. When there is enough iron in the body, a person hasstrong immunity, feels good and is ready to take on any business with pleasure. When an element is missing, the situation becomes just the opposite.

Many people need a table of foods rich in iron to eliminate such pathologies as iron deficiency anemia. It occurs due to a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood. Normally, the content of the element in the body is approximately 4 g, and more than half of this amount is included in the composition of hemoglobin. This substance is a protein in red blood cells that is involved in the transport of oxygen from the lungs to tissues, organs and cells. Hemoglobin residues are "stored" in the spleen, liver and bone marrow. Iron is a very important element for all people, but especially for women, as they lose some of the trace element every month during menstruation. Therefore, the norm for them is higher.

Which foods have the most iron?

It's no secret how dangerous the deficiency of this element is. This leads not only to anemia, but also to increased fatigue, and also increases the risk of developing benign and malignant neoplasms. Due to the lack of iron, there is a violation in the normal functioning of the skin system and its appendages, teeth deteriorate, immunity decreases and arrhythmia occurs. The lack of an element leads to a variety of pathologies. Therefore, it is important to eliminate it and prevent it from happening again.

The foods shown in the table are especially rich in iron.

Vegetables,greens, legumes	Fruits, berries, dried fruits	Nuts and seeds
Dried Tomatoes - 10mg/100g	Watermelon - 1mg	Pistachios - 5mg
Changd - up to 22% of the daily value	Apples - 2.2mg	Peanuts - 4.5mg
Mushrooms - up to 70% of the daily requirement	Bananas - 1mg	Walnut - 4mg
Beans - 6mg	Peaches - 4mg	Sesame - 14.6mg
Spinach - 3.5mg	Dried dates - 1.5mg	Pumpkin Seeds - 14mg
Parsley - 5mg	Raisins - 2mg
Green Peas - 1.4mg	Prunes - 3mg

Meat and seafood

This is the main food on which the diet of most people is based. Everyone loves meat and sea cocktails, but not everyone knows which types contain the optimal amount of iron that can replenish part of the daily requirement. So, the list of seafood and meat products rich in iron is in the table below.

Meat	Seafood
Beef - 2.8mg	Sardines - 3mg
Rabbit - 5mg	Anchovies - 2.9mg
Pork Liver - 20mg	Mussels - 7mg
Heart - 7mg	Oysters - 9.2mg
	Shells - 30mg

Other iron-rich foods

The daily diet of an ordinary person includes other products. For example, many people are used to cooking potatoes or pasta as a side dish. However, this food is rather harmful. You should consider other options, because there are more he althy foods. What foods are rich in iron? The table below details them.

Cereals	Eggs	Other products
Oatmeal - 3.6mg	Raw Chicken - 1.2mg	Tomato juice - 0.001mg
Buckwheat - 8.3mg	Quail - 3.65mg	Sunflower Seeds - 6mg
Wheat Bran - 10.6mg		Corn - 2.7mg
		Beets - 2mg
		Rye Bread - 3mg

It is known that some other foods increase hemoglobin very well and quickly. They contain more iron than those listed above. This list includes:

• egg yolks;
• butter;
• cream andmilk;
• raspberry and jam from it;
• fresh garlic;
• melon and watermelon;
• fresh and dried apples;
• rowanberry and rosehip broth;
• carrots with sour cream;
• nettle.

These products are leaders in iron content per 100 g of product. Even consumed in small quantities, they contribute to the stable maintenance of a normal level of hemoglobin in the blood.

Which iron-rich foods are recommended for iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy?

A woman who is carrying a child can not eat everything she wants. What is allowed to eat foods rich in iron during pregnancy? The table shows the possible options.

Product	Note
Lean red meat	Depending on species, may contain 5-7mg of iron.
Chicken liver (fried)	100 g of the product contains up to 7 mg of iron. Not recommended in the first trimester, and in large quantities in the second and third.
Dried apricots	Small serving contains up to 2mg of iron.
Red juices	Depending on the species, it contains 1-3 mg of iron. It is better to drink homemade drinks. Pomegranate juice is especially useful.

Foods rich in iron for children: recommended nutrition table

In general, the diet of a young child (from 1 year old) suffering from anemia can be close to the menu of an adult. Only mushrooms should be excluded, as they contain complex proteins and will be “heavy” for the baby’s body to digest. When offering a child any products, it is necessary to monitor his condition in order to avoid an allergic reaction.

Meat and seafood	Grains and legumes	Vegetables and herbs	Fruits and berries	Sweets and juices
White chicken and poultry	Buckwheat	Tomatoes	Apples	Dried fruits
Low-fat fish	Lentils	Baked potato	Pears	Pomegranate juice
Offal	Beans	Baked beets	Bananas	Beetroot
	Peas	Baked Carrots	Grenades	Carrot
		Onion	Strawberries and wild strawberries	Apple
		Green vegetables	Blackcurrant and blueberry
		Pumpkin	Cranberries
		Spinach
		Parsley
		Cress

New foods should be given to young children with extreme caution, starting with small portions. Make sure that there is no negative reaction from the gastrointestinal tract. In case of unpleasant symptoms, do not give the child more food.

It's important to know

Above, various tables were presented to your attention. Iron-rich foods for pregnant women or people suffering from anemia, it is important to consume in a reasonable amount. An excess of a trace element is no less harmful to he alth than its deficiency. The daily requirement for iron for an average person is 20 mg, and for pregnant women - 30 mg. During menstruation, due to blood loss, women are also advised to increase their intake of iron-rich foods.

Iron deficiency anemia is most often diagnosed in people who refuse to eat meat. For example, with vegetarianism. In this case, it is recommended to include more cereals, vegetables, mushrooms and fruits in the diet. As can be seen from the tables, foods rich iniron, for women, men and children are equally useful. If you deliberately refuse animal food, turn your attention to pumpkin, buckwheat, oatmeal and pomegranate. You can also use kelp and cocoa. Although sticking to a vegetarian diet for iron deficiency is still strongly discouraged, since the best sources of the trace element are offal and meat.

Features of nutrition in iron deficiency anemia

In this matter, it is important not only to stabilize the content of the microelement in the body, but also to ensure the supply of other important substances that are no less needed for its proper functioning. It is necessary to eat as much protein as possible - at least 135 g / day. After all, it contributes to the formation of rapidly digestible iron. These products include:

• fresh fish;
• beef tongue;
• pork and beef liver;
• egg whites;
• kidneys, lungs, heart;
• mussels, oysters;
• rabbit, turkey, chicken, veal, lamb, beef, pork;
• greek;
• cheese;
• boiled sausage;
• porcini mushrooms and chanterelles.

What contributes to better absorption of iron, and what hinders it?

The article discusses a lot of foods rich in iron. The table and lists list exactly what is recommended to prepare various dishes for the nutrition of people suffering from anemia. But it is also important to know what improves the absorption of iron, and what, on the contrary, hinders this process.

For good absorption	Inhibits absorption
Vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is found in citrus fruits, tomato juice, rosehip broth and sauerkraut	Calcium, vitamin E and zinc in excess of the daily allowance
B vitamins. Cyanocobalamin is especially useful. There is quite a lot of it in offal, beef, lamb, rabbit meat, chicken, cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, milk and kefir, as well as in seafood	Insufficient production of gastric juice
Zinc and copper. The highest amount of these elements is found in cereals, nuts, fruits and vegetables	Vitamin A deficiency
Fructose. It is preferable to choose dark varieties of honey	Tannins in coffee, tea, quince and blueberries
Gastric juice. With good digestion, iron is absorbed much more efficiently	Phosphates. They are found in eggs, cheeses and milk. So don't abuse these products
	Acids. A lot of them in sorrel and spinach
	Magnesium. Interferes with the absorption of iron, so if a person, for example, drinks Magnesium B6, this factor should be taken into account by increasing the daily intake of iron

How to prepare meals?

There were many tables above. Iron-rich foods are easy to use for anemiavital! Their list is now known to you. It remains only to determine how to cook dishes so that they are not only tasty, but also he althy.

Products are baked, boiled, they can be fried, stewed and steamed. The table below lists several options for dishes, the recipes of which are probably known to every housewife.

Breakfasts	Lunches	Dinners	Snacks
Puddings	Vegetable cutlets	Curd pudding	Biscuits
Vegetable Puree	Meat, offal or fish stewed, baked, fried or boiled	Meat and fish dishes	Tea or coffee with milk
Hard cheese	Shi	Vegetable stew	Kefir
Milk tea	Borscht	Caviar	Ryazhenka
	Ear	Soft-boiled eggs	Bifidok
	Meatball Soup	Rosehip decoction	Soured milk
	Vegetable soup

You can enrich dishes with sesame or thyme, as well ascook goodies from whole grain flour and bran. Regular consumption of all of the above products in reasonable amounts will help maintain normal levels of iron in the body, as well as other important elements, vitamins and other nutrients.