Foods High In Iron For Pregnant Women

Iron plays an important part in the manufacture of red blood cells. During the second half of pregnancy, your blood volume increases as red blood cells carry oxygen to both you and your baby. Pregnant women need 30 mg of iron a day, 2.5 times as much iron as men, FamilyDoctor states. Many foods improve iron stores. Avoid coffee, tea, calcium, antacids and fiber within two hours of eating an iron-rich meal; they all decrease absorption of iron, Elisa Ross, M.D., states on the Dr. Spock website.

Meats

Iron from red meats, especially organ meats like liver and kidneys, called heme, is better absorbed than iron from vegetables and fruits. Iron in general isn't well absorbed; only 1 mg of iron is absorbed for every 10 to 20 mg eaten, The University of Chicago Medical Center states. Iron absorption normally improves during pregnancy. A 3-oz. serving of liver contains 7.5 mg of iron. You should not eat liver more than once a week, the University of California San Francisco advises. Liver is very high in vitamin A, which, in large quantities, may cause birth defects, the March of Dimes warns. Other good meat sources of iron include pork, dark meat turkey and other poultry. Cooking with iron pots can increase iron intake by 80 percent, the Cleveland Clinic reports.

Seafood

Oysters are an excellent source of iron, supplying 13.2 mg in 3 oz. Crab, clams, shrimp, mussels, anchovies and sardines also are good sources of iron.

Fortified Grains

Fortified cereals supply one of the best sources of iron; some cereals, such as Total, supply as much as 18 mg of iron per serving, the Cleveland clinic reports. Many cereals and grains, including bread, are iron-fortified.

Vegetables and Fruits

Spinach and lima beans, two of the best vegetable sources of iron, are best absorbed if taken with vitamin C or meat at the same time, The University of Chicago Medical Center states. Green leafy vegetables also supply folate, another essential component for manufacture of red blood cells, the University of California San Francisco reports. Dried fruits supply more iron than fresh fruits.

Legumes and Nuts

Kidney beans, lentils, peanuts and soybeans all help increase iron stores. Walnuts contain 3.75 mg of iron in a 1/2-cup serving, cashew nuts supply 2.65 mg and peanuts supply 1.5 mg.