Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world, perhaps because its relationship with the human body is so complex. The mineral iron may be limited in your diet, or iron absorption by your body may be inhibited by a number of factors. If you are anemic, pay close attention to your daily diet for foods that add to and detract from your dietary iron intake. Restoring nutrient levels will help you turn your condition around.
Eat More Meat and Seafood
Animal sources offer the strongest boosts to your iron levels, as the proteins they contain aid iron absorption in the body. Chicken giblets have the highest mineral concentration, followed by oysters, clams and beef chuck cuts. The National Institutes of Health suggests including a variety of meats in your daily diet to raise your dietary iron intake.
Other then the giblets, chicken and pork, as well, have lower iron content than beef and lamb. Sardines and haddock are strong iron contributors among fish, followed by halibut, perch and orange roughy.
Choose Vegetarian Iron Sources
Wheat flour may be fortified with iron, so whole grain breads and cereals are good foods to add to your daily diet. Cereals such as Product 19 and Total contain 100 percent of the Food and Drug Administration's recommended intake of 18g per day. Doctors may encourage anemics to raise that amount to build up normal stores of iron.
Spinach, kale, lentils, kidney beans, peanut butter, blackstrap molasses and miso have significant content, but offer lower iron absorption rates than meat proteins. The Vegetarian Society notes that eating these foods alongside complementary vitamin C foods will improve intake levels.
Choose Complementary Foods
Vitamin C additions to your healthy diet will help you get the most out of plant-based sources of dietary iron. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that both nutrients should be consumed at the same meal to get this benefit. Foods rich in vitamin C include red and green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and many other fruits.
Avoid foods that inhibit iron absorption during the same meal with iron foods. Substances to limit include tannins, such as in tea, and calcium, found in cow's milk and cheese.
Take Dietary Iron Supplements
A simple multivitamin with iron may be enough to supplement your daily diet and replenish iron stores, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, your doctor may prescribe stronger iron tablets along with vitamin C.
Adult men and postmenopausal women should only take iron supplements on a doctor's advice. The NIH indicates that iron overload is a risk for those groups.
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