Anemia, a common blood disorder, occurs when your body fails to carry enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an oxygenated protein that gives your red blood cells their color. Most cases of anemia usually develops from an iron deficiency in your body. Natural diets that contain rich amounts of iron can improve your anemia. Menstruating women need approximately 18 mg of iron daily, while males need 8 mg.
Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables and fruits contain iron but not nearly the amount as fish, poultry and red meat. The amount of iron you absorb from vegetables and fruits depends on other food sources you consume at the same meal. For example, foods rich in vitamin C enhance your body's absorption of iron from vegetables. Consuming iron-rich sources from animal meat at the same time naturally enhances iron absorption from vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits that contain iron include peas, collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, lima beans, kale, black-eyed beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, soy beans, dried figs, dates, prunes, raisins and apricots.
Whole Grains and Nuts
Whole-grain products such as iron-fortified cereals, rice, pasta, bread, wheat germ, millet, semolina, barley, bran, oatmeal and whole-wheat breads are healthy sources of iron. Nuts such as almonds, peanuts, pecans, cashews, macadamias, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans and sesame seeds also contain iron.
Fish, Poultry and Red Meat
You body absorbs iron from fish, poultry and red meat up to three times more efficiently than iron from plant foods. Organ meats such as hearts, giblets, kidney and liver contain high iron content but should be consumed in moderation as they contain elevated amounts of cholesterol, which may promote heart disease. Although they are high in cholesterol, egg yolks contain substantial amounts of iron. Examples of iron-rich fish include mussels, sardines, anchovies, shellfish, clams and oysters.
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