Best Foods to Prevent Iron Deficiency
Eat plenty of whole foods, “the amount of iron inhibition from these substances is usually not of concern, good sources of iron like grass-fed meat products, organic free-range poultry, cage-free eggs, organic dairy products like raw milk, plenty of different fruits and vegetables, beans, and, on occasion, whole grains.
You can pair a food that is naturally high in vitamin C (like leafy greens or citrus fruits, since vitamin C helps your body absorb the non-heme iron.
High vitamin C foods — guava, red bell pepper, kiwi, oranges, grapefruits, green peppers, blueberries, all cruciferous vegetables like Brussel sprouts or broccoli, cantaloupe, and pea pods — in your meals in order to increase your absorption of iron.
12 best food sources of naturally occurring iron
- Liver (from beef) (10) — 4 ounces: 9.5 mg
- White beans (11) — 1 cup cooked: 6.6 milligrams
- Lentils (12) — 1 cup cooked: 6.5 milligrams
- Spinach (13) — 1 cup cooked: 6.4 milligrams
- Kidney beans (14) —1 cup cooked: 5.2 milligrams
- Chickpeas (15) — 1 cup cooked: 4.7milligrams
- Duck (16)— half of one breast: 3.7milligrams
- Sardines (17) — 1 can/3.75 ounces: 2.7 milligrams
- Grass Fed Beef (18) — 3 ounces: 2 milligrams
- Lamb (19) — 3 ounces: 1 milligrams
- Blackstrap molasses (20) — 1 tablespoon: 0.9 milligrams
- Pumpkin Seeds (21) — ¼ cup: 0.5 milligrams
