We put foods containing iron on the menu. Why? Well, because a lot of women suffer from iron deficiency. This is how you put an end to it!
If iron is missing in the body, we feel tired. We are weak. We have no energy. Does this sound familiar?
The reason for this is that too little iron impairs oxygen transport and many organic functions.
If you're prone to iron deficiency, look into foods that can compensate.
Foods containing iron can help you with this and on top of that taste pretty tasty :)
Table of contents
- What iron is and what the body needs it for
- Why you should check your iron levels 1x per year
- Iron-containing foods you should eat regularly
- Iron-containing foods table and overview
- What facilitates the absorption of iron in the body
- What tasks iron has
- What is the daily iron requirement
- How to notice that you need to eat more iron-rich foods
- What you need to know about cooking iron-rich foods
What iron is and what the body needs it for
Iron belongs to the trace elements. Without enough iron, your blood cannot transport oxygen.
Likewise, your muscles could not store oxygen. Without oxygen, your organs can't work. You feel listless and can even become seriously ill with iron deficiency.
Your body needs the trace element. Only then can it function properly.
You absorb only a small amount of iron through food. Therefore, you should choose foods that are rich in iron.
After severe blood loss or extreme illness, foods high in iron will help you recover quickly.
Because with enough oxygen in your red blood cells, your cells regenerate much faster. For the Wound healing outside as inside are ferrous food so very important.
Why you should check your iron levels 1x per year
You should check your iron level every year. You don't have to go to the doctor for an iron test. You can do it at home. There are now a number of self-tests available.
The Iron self-test from Cerascreen helps you to measure the concentration in the blood. To do this, take a few drops of blood from your fingertip. Use the enclosed envelope to send the sample to a laboratory, where it is analyzed.
You can read the result on the Cerascreen website within 2 days. In addition, you will receive a list of foods that contain a lot of iron and helpful tips for your everyday life.
From a total of 6 iron supplements, you then choose the one that best suits your needs. The capsules are included in the price.
Find out more about the Cerascreen iron self-test here!
Iron-containing foods you should eat regularly
For all those who have little time, here is a quick top 10 table. In it you will find foods with a lot of iron that you should eat from time to time. The data refer to 100 grams of the respective food.
- Cardamom*100 mg iron
- Parsley: 97.8 mg iron
- Mint: 87.5 mg iron
- Sorrel: 81.7 mg iron
- Licorice: 41.1 mg iron
- Cinnamon*38.1 mg iron
- Nettles: 31.1 mg iron
- Blood sausage: 29.4 mg iron
- Pork liver: 22.1 mg iron
- Thyme: 20 mg iron
As you can see, animal and plant foods provide iron. However, our body can utilize animal iron better.
This does not mean that all vegetarians and vegans are iron deficient. They simply need to consume more because not everything can be utilized.
What you should know about foods with animal iron
Animal iron is found in meat, poultry and fish. They provide heme iron, which the body can utilize particularly well.
Not every type of meat or fish contains a good amount of iron. The myth of a lot of iron in dark meat is false.
- Veal and beef contain only three milligrams of iron per 100 grams.
- The same applies to red fish varieties such as salmon. Salmon contains less than one milligram of iron per 100 grams.
Yes, even if it's gross: But offal from pork and veal are true power iron packages. The top performers are pork liver and pork kidney, followed by calf liver and oysters.
In the case of sausage, the iron content depends on the mixture. Blood sausage of normal quality leads the top ten animal sources of iron. Liver sausage, on the other hand, already contains much less divalent iron for the body.
What you should know about foods with plant iron
Vegetable iron is trivalent. It is less easily absorbed by the body. However, if you combine it well, you can also cover your iron requirements with it.
Particularly rich in iron are spices such as Cardamom*parsley or Cinnamon*. Pulses are also rich in iron. You can prepare products with soy flour or soybeans in many different ways.
Lentils, peas and beans contain even more iron than vegetables.
Nuts and seeds provide only small amounts of iron. But if you eat them regularly, it's still enough. This is due to the fats that promote the utilization of nutrients.
Fruit provides only a small amount of iron per 100 grams compared to other plant foods.
The iron content of dried fruit is particularly high.
If you eat 3-5 servings of fruit a day, that's usually enough to get you enough iron.
That's why you should eat colorful food every day!
Iron-containing foods table and overview
Here you will find iron-containing foods with the highest iron content, sorted by animal and vegetable.
Tip: Eat many different iron-rich foods. This will help you absorb other vitamins and nutrients at the same time.
Iron-rich vegetables, legumes and salad
Green vegetables are not as rich in iron as other foods. But it contains vitamin C. It improves the absorption of iron in the body.
Legumes are rich in iron - even richer than vegetables. The frontrunners are beans, peas, lentils and soy products (including soy flour). Vegans can use them to meet their daily iron requirements. Iron-rich foods without animal iron are also products made from wheat, rye and other cereals.
Check out these iron-rich recipes:
- Lentil fritters with peas
- Chickpea fritters with sweet potato
- Pumpkin goulash with chickpeas and beans
- Lentil salad in glass
Iron-containing spices and herbs
Real turbos in terms of iron content are dry spices and dry herbs. They are used as an ingredient for other iron-containing foods.
Even a small amount of it helps in the absorption of iron. Cardamom* even has the highest iron content of all foods.
Nuts, seeds and seeds with a lot of iron
Nuts, kernels and seeds score with a respectable iron content. Added to this is the proportion of valuable fats. These improve the utilization of vitamins. For example, salads and side dishes can be optimized as foods with a lot of iron with crunchy nuts and seeds.
Check out these iron-rich recipes:
Fruits and fruits with a lot of iron
Fresh fruit is only conditionally rich in iron. But it may be consumed daily without quantity restriction. If the fruit is dried, it contains significantly more iron. Dried fruit, raisins and dates taste very good in muesli, as a snack or baking ingredient.
These foods contain particularly high levels of zinc
Meat, sausage and fish with a high iron content
Iron-containing foods such as sausage and meat are often overestimated. In contrast, the offal of pork or beef provide large amounts of animal iron. In light cuisine, fish is a suitable source of iron. However, only a few varieties contain a significant amount of it. Poultry also tends to be found at the bottom of the iron table.
What facilitates the absorption of iron in the body
You should take iron-containing foods with a small amount of vitamin C. One glass of orange or multivitamin juice per meal is sufficient.
Do not drink coffee or milk directly with food. Both inhibit the utilization of iron.
Support iron absorption by eating animal and plant ingredients per meal.
This combination facilitates the utilization in case of slight iron deficiency. In addition, a salad or vegetable garnish for iron-rich foods usually provides a lot of vitamin C.
Tip: If you cannot cover your iron deficiency with food, order iron capsules from Amazon.
What tasks iron has
The trace element iron is essential for life. As with any deficiency, your body reports this.
Very often by craving for sweets.
But then you are not weak-willed or have a sweet tooth. Rather, your body is trying to signal that its iron reserves are running low.
The consequence of this missing reserves is ravenous hunger. Long before actual illnesses, your body drives you to replenish.
Did you know that obesity can often be traced back to iron deficiency?
It is best if you eat iron-rich foods already in the morning. For example, with a delicious muesli. But don't forget to take vitamin C.
Vitamins are the carriers for trace elements. So it doesn't help if you eat a lot of iron. You have to support the absorption in the body.
How to recognize an iron deficiency!
What is the daily iron requirement
A healthy body needs iron every day to function. The recommendation for men is about ten milligrams of iron. Women need 15 milligrams from the start of menstruation.
However, the iron requirement can fluctuate. We need more iron during growth, pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Your weight and athletic activity also affect your iron needs.
The more active you live, the more iron your muscles, blood and organs need. But take not too much iron to you! Because this promotes diseases of the heart and circulation, the veins and the cells.
To determine your iron requirements, it is best to have a blood count done. This will show you how much iron your body has stored.
The determination is also important for the inclusion of the right food with a lot of iron.
Why we women need more iron-rich foods
Quite simply, we women lose blood every month and with it iron. Our iron balance must be maintained over ferrous food be filled up.
The need is also higher during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Now hormonal changes affect the need for iron.
As women enter menopause, their iron requirements decrease. Nevertheless, foods with a lot of iron still belong on the menu now.
When and in what way the iron requirement changes
- A change in iron requirements can result from stress. Stress causes more intensive cardiovascular activity. Accordingly, more red blood cells are needed for oxygen transport.
- In children and adolescents, an iron deficiency would lead to growth disorders. They should therefore eat foods rich in iron every day.
- In the event of illness, red blood cells support wound healing. A lot of iron is needed for this heavy work. In the case of iron deficiency, recovery could be slowed down or completely inhibited.
- The hormone balance in men and women fluctuates throughout life. Whenever there are changes, more iron is needed to restore the balance.
Here's what you can do for an iron deficiency!
How to notice that you need to eat more iron-rich foods
Most people notice an iron deficiency by persistent fatigue despite sufficient sleep. This is usually associated with significantly poorer performance. In the worst case, anemia may even develop. In this case, too few red blood cells are formed.
Another sign of iron deficiency is impaired growth of hair and nails. The corners of your mouth crack or feel permanently sore. The effects on your weight are drastic. Because with iron deficiency you can no longer lose weight at all without exercise.
Favorable against these and other symptoms is a dietary change to iron-rich foods.
However, it takes a while for the emptied iron stores to fill up again. It is better to prevent a severe deficiency from the outset.
What you need to know about cooking iron-rich foods
Iron-rich foods remain power packages even after cooking and baking. This is because the trace element withstands the effects of oxygen or light without loss.
However, vitamins are sensitive. Especially vitamin C, which we need to absorb iron.
So that you are not completely at a loss now, we have prepared a delicious recipe with lots of iron :) It is a super juicy apple bread with lots of iron-rich ingredients.
Super juicy and delicious: apple bread with nuts!
Our conclusion
Foods containing iron are important for a balanced daily diet. A combination of plant and animal iron components is optimal. An iron deficiency can have drastic physical and psychological effects.
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