Iron-Rich Foods List

Iron, a mineral found in red blood cells, is necessary to carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Too little iron in the blood may result in anemia, a condition that causes fatigue, dizziness, and a lack of focus or lack of energy. A blood test can determine an iron deficiency. Iron deficiencies can occur due to lack of iron in the diet, poor absorption, excessive blood loss or pregnancy.

Iron Requirements

Iron requirements vary based on gender, age, the body's ability to absorb iron and the amount of iron the body has stored in its reserve. Infants from 7 to 12 months of age require 11 mg daily. Children ages 1 to 3 require 7 mg daily, while children 4 to 8 years of age need 10 mg daily. Boys and girls ages 9 to 13 need 8 mg daily. Between 14 and 18 years of age, girls require 15 mg daily, due to menstruation, compared to boys who only need 11 mg daily. Women of childbearing age have higher iron needs then men and require 18 mg daily, while men of the same age require 8 mg daily. Both men and women over 50 years of age require 8 mg daily. A medical professional can determine if the body's iron requirements are being met.

Animal-Based Iron

Heme iron, found in animal food, is usually well absorbed by the body. Heme iron sources such as beef, poultry, organ meats, and some seafood are recommended by the National Anemia Council to maintain healthy levels of iron in the blood. Chicken liver, oysters, clams and beef contain the highest amounts of heme iron per serving. Turkey, chicken and tuna are also considered good sources of iron.

Plant-Based Iron

Iron found in nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables are in a non-heme form and can be less easily recognized and absorbed by the body. Food that contains over 5 mg of iron per serving is considered a good source of iron. Plant-based foods high in iron include beans such as soybeans, white beans and lentils, dried fruit, whole grains, dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens, and iron fortified dried cereals and oatmeal.

Considerations

"The Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, recommends omitting sugar from the diet to increase iron absorption. Eating vegetables with fish can increase the absorption of iron from plant-based sources. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C, such as guava, oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, and broccoli, can increase iron absorption.