What To Watch When You Need To Avoid Iron Rich Foods

Although consuming too much iron from foods is unlikely in most cases, health care providers may recommend people with certain medical conditions avoid iron-rich foods. The daily recommended dietary allowance for iron in adults 27 mg for pregnant women, 18 mg for women under age 51, 8 mg for men and 8 mg for women over age 50 according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Iron-Rich Meats

Meats are typically high in heme iron, a type of iron that is better absorbed by the human body than nonheme iron, which is found in plant foods. Chicken liver, clams and beef contain the highest amount of heme iron, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. People who need to limit iron-rich foods in their diets should avoid eating large quantities of high-iron meats, especially pan fried chicken liver, which contains about 13 mg of iron per serving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Data Laboratory.

Fortified Grains

Although grains are naturally low in iron, many are fortified, or have additional iron added to them. This is true for many types of breakfast cereals, oatmeal, bagels, breads and some types of snacks and crackers. Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals may contain up to 18 mg of iron per serving, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Iron Supplements

Iron supplements can contribute to iron toxicity if taken in excess, or if taken by people with hemochromatosis or thalassemia. Iron supplements should be taken with caution, since iron toxicity can contribute to organ damage or other health problems related to iron accumulating in body tissues. The tolerable upper intake, or level which not to exceed, for iron in adults is 45 mg per day, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Iron Enhancers

Foods that contain heme iron, especially red meats, and vitamin C increase the absorption of nonheme iron in the body, according to the Iron Disorders Institute. Foods high in vitamin C include orange juice, oranges, red peppers, strawberries, kiwi and grapefruit juice.

Iron Inhibitors

Foods that decrease iron absorption include milk, other calcium-rich foods, tannins found in tea and soybean proteins, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. In fact, the Northern California Comprehensive Thalassemia Center encourages people with thalassemia to drink tea with meals to help decrease dietary iron absorption.