9 Foods That Are Great Sources of Iron

If you are practicing a Vegetarian or Vegan diet, one of your primary concerns may be getting enough iron in your diet.  Some foods like broccoli and spinach are well known sources of iron, but there are plenty of other foods that will help you meet your nutritional needs. Check out this list of some of the richest sources of iron:

Pumpkin and squash seeds. These seeds have almost 15 milligrams of iron per 100-gram serving.

Beans. Soybeans, white beans, lentils, lima, black, and pinto beans are good sources of iron (in descending order). One cup of cooked soybeans has almost 9 milligrams of iron, and 1 cup of cooked white beans has almost 7 milligrams.

Dark, leafy green veggies. Kale, spinach, chard, turnip greens and broccoli are examples of iron-rich leafy greens. Spinach has the most, at 6.4 milligrams per cup cooked.

Nuts and seeds. Many nuts are good sources of iron. Cashews, almonds, sunflower, flax, and sesame seeds are good sources.

Whole grains. Tiny, nutty-flavored quinoa boasts 6.3 milligrams of iron per cup cooked. Whole wheat has 4.6 milligrams per cup.

Blackstrap molasses. Two tablespoons of this dark, sweet liquid have 7.2 milligrams of iron.

Cruciferous vegetables. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy and broccoli are examples of cruciferous vegetables with iron content. One cup of cooked Brussels sprouts has 1.9 milligrams of iron. Bok choy has 1.8 milligrams of iron per cup cooked.

Potatoes. One large potato has 3.2 milligrams of iron. Potatoes are also high in Vitamin C.

Fruits. Apricots and raisins are dried fruits that have significant iron. One-half a cup of raisins has 1.6 milligrams of iron, and 15 apricot halves contain 1.4 milligrams.

There are a couple of things to bear in mind regarding iron absorption. Iron absorption is aided by Vitamin C, and many plant sources of iron also contain Vitamin C. Still, it’s worthwhile to pair iron-rich foods such as nuts (which are low in Vitamin C) with Vitamin C sources such as bell peppers, citrus fruits, or tomatoes. Also, calcium and tannins inhibit iron absorption. Tea and coffee are sources of tannins that ideally should not be consumed at the same time as iron-rich foods.

Also, consider your cookware source when trying to incorporate more iron into your diet.  Cooking with cast-iron can add iron to the foods cooked in such cookware. Small amounts of iron leach into the food during cooking, and the microscopic size of the molecule aids absorption. Cast-iron pots, Dutch ovens and skillets can be used to cook most foods.