The mineral iron plays a vital role in health. It supplies oxygen to the red blood cells and produces hemoglobin. Iron plays a supporting role to the body's enzymes. It also strengthens the immune system and helps the body grow. The recommended daily allowance, or RDA, for men is 8 mg. For women aged 19 to 50, the RDA is 18 mg. Women over the age of 51 need only 8 mg. Women of menstruating age, 19 to 50, need more iron than men and postmenopausal women because they lose some iron in their menstrual flow. It takes but a few foods and herbs to reach these RDA values. Choosing a variety of these makes the best health sense.
Protein Foods
The best sources of iron in protein come from eggs, fish, liver, meat, poultry, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, sesame seeds and soybeans. Vegans can get their iron from non-meat and non-dairy foods and can take iron supplements, if necessary. Iron supplements can cause constipation, but fiber-rich foods can counteract that side effect.
Fruits and Vegetables
The fruits that have a lot of iron can also regulate the bowels. These include dates, prunes, raisins, peaches, pears and pumpkin. Kidney beans, lima beans and lentils contain high amounts of iron as well as fiber. Other iron-rich vegetables include leafy green vegetables like spinach, beets, watercress and avocados. Brown rice and pasta have a fair amount of iron as well. Bloodindex.com reports that the baked potato has the highest iron content of all the vegetables at 4 mg, and molasses has 3 mg of iron in just 1 tbsp.
Grains
Whole grain means consuming all parts of the grain. For their iron content, whole grains, millet, rice and wheat bran need a regular place in the steady diet. Eating these in the form of breads and cereals can meet the RDA easily. Total brand cereal contains 18 mg of iron, and Raisin Bran has 6 mg, according to Bloodindex.com.
Herbs
People can get iron from eating the herb itself, or indirectly by taking supplements. If using herbs as seasonings, add generous amounts to other food to enhance flavor. The commonly available herbs include thyme, curry, cinnamon, rosemary, parsley, peppermint, cayenne, fennel seed, licorice and paprika. The less common herbs may take a trip to a health-food store. They include uva ursi, yellow dock, plantain, raspberry leaf, rose hips, sarsaparilla, shepherd's purse, alfalfa, burdock root, catnip, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, dong quai, fenugreek, horsetail, lemongrass, mullein, nettle and oat straw.
References
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing; Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.; 2006
- Bloodindex: Foods Iron Content; 2007
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