Red blood cells transport oxygen from your lungs to all cells and tissues. It also removes the waste carbon dioxide from your body. Everyday, your body removes millions of red blood cells and replaces them with new ones. Because iron is an integral part of red blood cells, eating iron-rich foods will help form new ones.
Animal Foods
The iron found in animal sources is more easily absorbed by your body than the iron from non-animal sources. Beef, liver, poultry and seafood are rich sources of iron. These foods also contain vitamin B-12, which also helps form red blood cells. B-12 also occurs in milk, cheese and yogurt. Avoid eating these foods with iron-rich foods, however, because the calcium in dairy products reduces iron absorption in your body.
Plant Foods
Iron naturally occurs in vegetables, such as spinach, kale, collards, dandelion greens, asparagus and broccoli. Iron is also found in legumes including chickpeas, soybeans, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lima beans, lentils and navy beans. Snack on almonds, Brazil nuts and dried prunes, apricots and raisins. Other sources are whole grains, such as wheat, millet, oats and brown rice.
Fortified Foods
Foods that are enriched with iron will also stimulate the production of red blood cells. These fortified products include pasta, noodles, rice, bread, malted drinks and breakfast cereals. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database, some cereals contain enough iron to fulfill your daily allowance in one serving.
Considerations
To maximize iron absorption, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises eating iron-rich meals with foods containing vitamin C, such as peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, papaya, peas, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and guava. Combining poultry, meat and fish with vegetables and legumes will help stimulate red blood cells. Avoid drinking tea and coffee with iron-rich meals because it can reduce the absorption of iron in your body.
