Foods with an Iron Punch

Today’s Task – eat more iron-rich foods (18 milligrams per day for women and 8 for men). If you don’t eat enough iron, you may become fatigued more easily and more readily susceptible to infections.

Good sources include: red meat and dark poultry meat (3 oz. – 3 milligrams); seafood, especially clams and sardines (3 oz. – 3 milligrams); beans such as chickpeas, lentils or red kidney (1 c. about 5 milligrams); green leafy vegetables like kale, watercress or spinach (1/2 c. cooked about 3 milligrams); nuts, especially hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, almonds and cashews; seeds – sesame and sunflower; dried fruit — try raisins or apricots; eggs (all in the yolk); cereal, 100 percent fortified ready to eat; and pumpernickel bread.

Weekday Recipes:

Chickpea and Leek Soup

Watercress Topped with Beef and Onion

Tip: There are two types of iron: heme (found in animal products) and non-heme (found in plant sources). Heme iron is the kind found in meat and seafood and is the easiest to absorb. Non-heme is much harder to absorb and is found in much smaller quantities in plant-based products. This is why vegetarians often have a difficult time maintaining their iron levels and are prone to anemia. To help your body absorb non-animal sources of iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C (strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage, and broccoli) at the same time you consume iron-containing foods. Avoid drinking tea and coffee with iron-rich foods, which keep your body from absorbing the iron.