The Best 7 Foods To Eat For Iron - Fatherly

NutritionThe Best 7 Foods To Eat For Iron

Make sure you get enough iron in your diet with these healthy and delicious foods.

by Kristi PahrUpdated: Feb. 20, 2024Originally Published: June 7, 2022ShutterstockBetween 2% and 10% of U.S. adults live with an iron deficiency.Shutterstock

Red blood cells need iron to function correctly. Without enough iron, a person can become anemic. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, and weakness.

Shutterstock

Men age 19 to 40 need around 8 mg of iron per day, while adults who menstruate require 18 mg per day to maintain healthy iron levels.

National Institutes of Health

Shutterstock

Taking iron supplements can be dangerous because our bodies don’t excrete iron quickly. Too much iron in your system can cause nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain, and even more severe symptoms the longer iron builds up. The best way to improve your iron levels is through a healthy diet.

Shutterstock

What foods are high in iron?

Dark leafy greens, broccoli, red meat, shellfish, legumes, liver, and dark chocolate are all full of iron.

ShutterstockLeafy Greens

Leafy greens like spinach, kale, swiss chard, and collard and beet greens pack a nutritional punch with 2.5 to 6.4 mg of iron per cup after cooking, or 31% to 80% of the recommended dietary intake for men and 14% to 36% for women.

ShutterstockBroccoli

Broccoli is a proven winner with 1 to 1.8 mg of iron per cup after cooking, or 13% to 23% of the recommended dietary intake for men and 6% to 10% for women.

ShutterstockRed Meat

One 3.5-ounce serving of beef contains almost 3 mg of iron, which is 38% of the recommended dietary intake for men and 17% for women.

ShutterstockShellfish

Mussels, clams, and oysters are all good sources of iron, providing as much as 3 mg of iron per 3.5-ounce serving, or 38% of men’s recommended dietary intake and 17% of women’s.

ShutterstockLegumes

Lentils are iron powerhouses, providing as much as 83% of men’s recommended dietary intake and 37% of women’s, or 6.6 mg of iron, per cup of cooked lentils. Beans, peas, chickpeas, and black-eyed peas are great options.

ShutterstockLiver

A 3-ounce serving of beef liver provides 15.2 mg of iron. But be careful, because beef liver is so full of nutrients that eating too much of it can result in vitamin A and copper toxicity.

ShutterstockDark Chocolate

One ounce of dark chocolate provides 43% of men’s recommended dietary intake and 19% of women’s, or 3.4 mg of iron.

Shutterstock

Thanks for reading, head home for more!