Ferritin levels in your blood indicate the amount of iron in your body. For men, normal blood ferritin level is 12 to 300 nanograms per milliliter and for women is 12 to 150 ng/mL, states Medlineplus.com. Iron is needed for the production of red blood cells and therefore plays an important role in transporting oxygen through the body. For men ages 19 to 50, the recommended daily allowance of iron is 8 mg, and for women in the same age range is 18 mg. Low ferritin levels may indicate that you have iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms of this condition include weakness, loss of appetite, shortness of breath and a higher risk of acquiring infections. Consuming iron-rich foods can increase your ferritin levels.
Animal Sources
Eating beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, liver and eggs can increase your ferritin level. The iron found in these foods -- known as heme iron -- is more readily absorbed by your body, in comparison to the non-heme form found in plants. Liver contains 5.2 to 9.9 mg of iron per 3-oz. serving. However, if you are pregnant, avoid eating liver as it contains high vitamin A levels, which can harm the fetus. Many types of seafood also have a high content of heme iron, including oysters, clams, tuna, prawns, salmon and sardines. Clams provide 23.8 mg and wild oysters provide 10.2 mg per 3 oz.
Plant Sources
Cashews, Brazil nuts, almonds, raisins, dried apricots and prunes are good sources of non-heme iron. Chickpeas, green peas, lentils, soybeans, broad and kidney beans are also good plant sources. For example, lentils provide 6.6 mg and chickpeas provide 4.7 mg of iron per cup. Spinach, collards, dandelion greens are some of the best vegetable sources of iron.
Fortified Foods
Another way to increase your ferritin level is to eat foods that have been enriched with iron. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, some breakfast cereals contain enough iron to fulfill your daily allowance in one meal. Kellogg's Complete Wheatflakes and General Mill's Total Whole Grain provides 18 mg of iron in a three-quarter-cup serving. Pasta, rice and white bread are also examples of iron-fortified foods.
Considerations
Consult your doctor to see if you require iron supplements to help increase your ferritin levels. Eat foods containing vitamin C with iron-rich foods to increase the absorption of iron in your body. Good sources of Vitamin C include guava, red peppers, oranges, orange juice, kiwi, papaya, cantaloupe and strawberries. Avoid drinking tea and coffee with your meals as this can decrease the iron absorption from the food.
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