Iron is a very important mineral that is needed in the body to form healthy, functioning blood cells. If you don't get enough iron, it can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, is characterized by fatigue, irritability and paleness. One way to make sure you are getting adequate iron is to consume plenty of foods that are high in iron.
Meat Sources
Meat has the highest iron content of any food. Oysters and clams are exceptionally high, with 13.2mg of iron in a 3-oz. serving of oysters, and 4.2mg in a 2-oz. serving of clams. There are other meats that are high in iron content, especially liver meats. According to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) of iron for people who are non-vegetarian is 8mg per day for men and women that have already gone through menopause, and 18mg per day for pre-menopausal women. One 3-oz. serving of beef liver contains 7.5mg, almost an entire day's iron need for men.
Chicken liver is also high in iron, followed by all other cuts of beef, pork loin chops, turkey and then other cuts of chicken. Meat is considered a "heme" source of iron. Heme sources of iron are more easily absorbed by the body than non-heme sources, such as foods with a plant origin.
Plant Sources
While not as high in iron as meat, there are many plants that have iron content as well. According to the National Institutes of Health, the problem with trying to get your iron from vegetables is the fact that it is considered "non-heme" iron and is therefore much harder for the body to absorb. McKinley Health Center notes that the high fiber in vegetable sources contains phytates, which can hinder the absorption of iron. This is why the RDA of iron for vegetarians is higher than for meat eaters, at 33mg per day for women and 14mg per day for men. Vegetables with good iron content include beans such as white beans, kidney, lima and baked beans, nuts, leafy greens, apricots, dates, raisins, prune juice, molasses, eggs, sweet potatoes and rice. The NIH recommends eating a heme source of iron with a non-heme source, such as some chicken with vegetables, to increase the absorption of iron from vegetable sources. Vitamin C will also help increase iron absorption.
Fortified Foods
There are numerous foods that have been fortified with iron, and therefore have a high iron content. The most common enriched foods are breads, pastas and breakfast cereals. Along with fortified foods, the University of Virginia School of Medicine reports that another way to get iron into non-iron sources is to cook food in a cast-iron frying pan, as iron is absorbed into the food during the cooking process.
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