Almond butter 1.2 (2 tablespoons)
Apricots, dried 1.5 - 3.4 (1 cup)
Arugula, 12 mg/200g calorie
Asparagus (raw), 21 mg/200g calorie
Baked beans (1.9/medium portion)
Beet Greens (raw), 23 mg/200g calorie
Beet greens, cooked 1 cup 2.7 mg
Beets, 1.3 mg/200g calorie
Black beans 3.6, cooked (1 cup)
Black-eyed peas, cooked (1 cup) 2.3 - 3.6 mg
Bok choy 0.4 - 1.8 (1 cup cooked )
Bran flakes (3/4 cup) 8.1
Bran flakes 8.1 (1 cup)
Broccoli 1.3 mg (1 cup cooked )
Brown rice (circa 0.95, steamed, 1 cup/portion)
Brussels sprouts 1.9 (1 cup cooked )
Butterhead Lettuce (includes Boston and Bibb varieties), 19 mg/200g calorie
Cereals
Cashews (1/2 cup) 4.0
I use cast iron cookware
Chick Peas (Garbanzo beans) 3.2-4.7, cooked, 1 cup
Chinese Cabbage (pak-choi, cooked), 17 mg/200g calorie
Collard greens 0.9 mg/1 cup cooked
Curly Kale (1.9/medium portion)
Dandelion Greens (raw), 14 mg/200g calorie
Figs, dried (1/2 cup) 1.5
Green Beans, 12 mg/200g calorie
Kelp (seaweed) 0.3, 2 tablespoons
Kidney beans, cooked 1 cup 3.0-5.2
Lentils (120 g): 2.9 mg (1 cup, 6.6 mg)
Lima beans, cooked 1 cup 4.4 mg
Mushrooms, cooked (1 cup) 2.7
Mustard greens 1.0 (1 cup cooked )
Navy beans 4.5, cooked (1 cup )
Oatmeal 1.6 cooked (1 cup )
Peaches, Dried (6 halves): 3.1 mg
Peanut butter 0.6 (2 tablespoons )
Peas, cooked 1 cup 2.5
Pinto beans, cooked (1 cup) 3.5 - 4.5
Pistachios (2 mg/14g)
Potato 1 large 3.2
Potato, baked with skin (medium) 1.9
Potatoes (cooked), 16 mg, 200g calorie
Prune juice (8 ounces): 3 mg
Prunes 1.1 mg (1 cup )
Pumpkin Leaves (cooked) 30 mg
Pumpkin seeds
Quinoa, cooked (1 cup) 4.0
Raisin (1/2 cup) 1.5
Red Leaf Lettuce, 15 mg/200g calorie
Sesame seeds 1.3 mg/12g
Sesame Tahini (2 Tbs.) 2.7
Soybeans 8.8, cooked (1 cup )
Spaghetti: 0.5 mg/100g (or more?)
Spinach, cooked (1 cup) 6.4
Spirulina (1 tsp): 5 mg
Sunflower seeds 1.0 - 9.6 mg/cup (?)
Swiss chard, cooked (1 cup) 4.0
Tempeh 1 cup 4.4-4.8
Tofu
Tomato paste (4 ounces): 3.9 mg
Turnip greens 1.2 - 3.2 (1 cup cooked )
Watermelon 0.3 (1 cup diced )
White beans (1/2 cup) 3.9 mg
Cream of wheat, cooked (1 cup) 10.3
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 0.9 mg
Vegan-pagan-homeschooling momma to Khaila (5) and felines Gamma (3) and Mickey (3 mnths) and new foster cat Holly (2)
I have been diagnosed with anaemia due to inadequate iron intake...any tips at all about what vegan foods have iron and how to absorb it better? I am on tablets too, but obviously can't stay on them forever!
When my iron was low, the doc said the highest non-animal sources of iron are leafy green veges, legumes, plums, prunes, raisins, baked beans, peas, bananas. BUT vit C is needed to assist in absorption, and vit c is found in capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, kiwi fruit, oranges, tropical fruits. The doc also pointed out that some items are to be avoided as they inhibit absorption: tea, coffee, antacids, red wine (it worked for me).
All the best banana.
Has anyone mentioned blackstrap molasses? Drinking a glass of orange juice with a tbsp of molasses stirred in is meant to get your iron levels up - if you can stomach it The combination of the iron in the molasses and the vitamin C in the juice is ideal.
Otherwise you can wash a meal rich in iron (e.g. one containing dark green vegetables and beans) down with a glass of juice. As Eve mentioned, if you drink tea, you need to avoid having it close to a meal because that inhibits iron absorption apparently.
I also cook in a cast iron pan some of the time as this is meant to help a bit.
http://www.jacknorrisrd.com/iron
This is a really simple, helpful link.
how do you get your iron?
ive noticed, everyone says green leafy veggies, apricots. but all of these dont have THAT high of an amount. (a cup of kale only has 7% of your daily intake) soybeans have the highest, with blackstrap mollases behind that. i only get about 75% of my iron intake daily, and although i take a high quality multivitamin, i would rather get it from food. what do you eat for your iron?
i suppose i could just add blackstrap mollases to my diet. does anyone take this and if so, what does it go well in?
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
oh, well i guess since its high in iron it would go great in smoothies since theyre extremely high in vitamin c
does anyone know the nutritional info of blackstrap mollases? i cant seem to find anything for it, but id like to know so i could moniter my iron intake.
"you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb
I get iron from soy products, legumes, green leafy veggies, pasta, rice, cereal, and seed butters (and other items I cannot think of off the top of my head). It is true that just eating one of these sources per day would not fulfill your daily requirement, but the combination of them will or they will come very close. The multi-vitamin I take provides about 50% of my daily requirement coupled with the foods I consume, I think I am ok. I haven't ever shown signs of iron deficiency.
Well, I'd be real careful for men and post-menopausal women getting excessive iron, considering it causes free radical formation and excess amounts are not excreted by the body. I'd be happy with 50% of the "RDA" or whatever, considering I don't trust the people who make those governmental recommendations and my research by reading nutritional books tells me that my varied diet provides all the nutrients I need. I guess it's up to you whether you try to get more or not.
utopiankitchen.wordpress.com
itry to eat leafy greens with orange juice..nuts etc, but also take a supplement.
i dont know how this is possible but the last time i checked (which was a while ago) i had more than the normal levels of iron in my blood?!!! weird. Well, i gess i should be pleased!
Oh dear it apears according to my blood test that i am very deficient in iron. I am not sure how this has happened i eat broccoli parsley spinach, lots of fruits and vegies and lentils and chick peas and sprouts everyday.
any ideas? I don't actually have any symptoms i work as a physical horticulturalist and i play sport and do tai chi kung fu everyday.
Who else is deficient? what should I do . I don't really want to take supplements does anyone have any advice? I'm alos deficient in B12 but that is usual for me maybe that is a factor?
"Even the bravest of us rarely has the courage for what he really knows" - Nietzsche :rolleyes:
I believe that lack of B12 can cause anemia. So get yourself some B12 supplements and get tested again in few months to see if it worked. Good luck!
And make sure you eat your iron-rich foods with Vitamin C.
Peace, love, and happiness.
Have you asked anyone on here for advice after posting your typical daily food?
Have you plugged in your food into Fitday.com?
Also, it could be due to absorbability problems, not necessarily intake.
u should probably increase the amount of iron ur taking in, having vitamin c with it. spinach can sometimes block the absorbtion of iron. also do not get a lot of calcium during the same meal as the iron. too much physical activity can definately add to anemia, it destroys blood cells, especially the more intense the workout. finally, b12 deficiency adds to anemia as well, and since there r no reliable plant sources to get it from, it is very important to take a vegetarian supplement that contains it...
Peace Love Surf.
thanks for your replies, yes have done fit day.com and am getting more then rdi from my diet. I have been deficient in b12 before and had injections to get it back up so i will get some supplement s for that. Maybe it is all the exercise i do that is contibuting i have never been low in iron before. um do you think being on the pill could have some effect? I think it is definitely affecting my b12 absorbtion. I eat so much vitamin c. maybe i should cut down on spinach and try not to have calcium rich foods with iron foods. but aren't they both in most green vegies? what are good iron foods? what inhibits iron absorbtion?
"Even the bravest of us rarely has the courage for what he really knows" - Nietzsche :rolleyes:
some good iron foods r whole grains, legumes, some nuts, apricots, figs...umm i can't really think of many more off the top of my head. i've heard things about the pill and anemia before, but i can't remember the specifics on it... yes, often foods high in iron are high in calcium as well, but when possible, do not consume the two together... i hope it all works out for u!
Peace Love Surf.
Foods which decrease iron uptake (from the "becoming vegetarian" book)
1) tannin-containing beverages
black tea, oriental green tea, coffee. Most herbal teas have no tannin.
2)milk and cheese
3)oxalates
iron in spinach bound to oxalates, making it largely unavailable. Also found in rhubarb, swiss chard, chocolate.
brocolli, kale, oriental greens (e.g bok choy) provide abundant FREE iron.
4)phytates
5)soy products
Try to decrease 1 - 5 when u eat meals high in iron, to prevent less iron being absorbed.
ok I don't drink tea or coffee, I don't eat any soy products.
spinach is the only food on the list that i eat.
i love broccoli and chinese greens,
what are phytates?
"Even the bravest of us rarely has the courage for what he really knows" - Nietzsche :rolleyes:
o ya, i forgot, caffiene can add to mal-absorption as well
Peace Love Surf.
Phytates are the storage form of phosphorus in seeds and are associated with the fiber in raw whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Phytates, particularly in raw foods such as wheat bran, have been a concern because they can bind a portion of the iron, zinc and calcium in foods, making the minerals unavailable for absorption. However, during specific food preparation processes such as soaking in water (as with legumes, oats and bulgur), the yeast raising of bread doughs, and in the sprouting of seeds and legumes, these phytates are destroyed by enzymes called phytases. The roasting of nuts also decreases phytate levels... (adapted from "becoming vegetarian" by V.Melina, B.Davis, and V. Harrison)
http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthf...d.stm#hf68d003
A list of foods with iron
I got severly anaemic once - I was on booster iron tablets for 6 months. Now I maintain my iron intake with figs, dates, Asian greens and tahini.
Iron deficiency is common for young women - we bleed during menstruation and lose iron. I'm sorry you don't want to take a supplement since there are definitely vegan options. If you have required B12 injections in the past then I don't know that B12 supplements would work - if you are one of the few who don't absorb B12 in your digestive tract then you may be looking at occasional injections.
I hope you get your iron levels up to normal soon. Iron deficiency can definitely make you feel tired and cranky. Good luck.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein
that's just it I don't feel tired at all or the least bit cranky. I have actually never felt better in my life I never feel sick or run down. Tthat is why i'm surprised about the results. and I don't really want to take a supplement if i don't have symptoms but i might give it a go just to get the levels back up. I had a test to see if i absorb b12 and i do so supps should work maybe might as well try them.
"Even the bravest of us rarely has the courage for what he really knows" - Nietzsche :rolleyes:
Just so you know, regardless of what you may have read, spinach is a very poor provider of both iron and calcium. It's chocked full but some chemical or another in it prevents iron/calcium absorbtion. Delete spinach from your diet or at least limit it.
I felt the same way when I was anemic, and I was severly anemic back then; I had to have two blood transfers. My hb was 68 at lowest, and still I was working and doing things in a normal manner. It was a huge schock when I found out just how anemic I was. My doctor explained to me that our bodies can get used to it and after that you don´t "feel" it.Panda
I was a meat eater back then, after I turned vegan I haven´t had any problems, but I still have to have bloodwork done just to make sure.
I consume wheatgrass juice every now and then, I think that it helps and is the main reasond why I am not anemic anymore.
thanks Jesse that's helpful, I need to start drinking wheat grass hopefully i will get a juicer for christmas. did you feel any different after your levels went up? like more energetic? or did you notice nothing changing at all?
I told some girls on my soccer team that i am anemic they just laughed at me and wouldn't believe me, because i am so much more energetic then anyone they know, (prob because i am vegan and they all consume dead animal carcasses.) So if i get my iron boosted will i be super energetic woman or what ?
"Even the bravest of us rarely has the courage for what he really knows" - Nietzsche :rolleyes:
Yes I did, especially after the first blood transfer, I felt like a totally different person. It was only after that I realised that I might have been a "bit" tiredPanda
I am sure you will feel more energetic when your anemia is gone, and also wheatgrass juice gives you a really good energy boost .
If you like the taste of black licorice (which I love), try blackstrap molasses. One tablespoon provides 50% of the RDA of iron. I have read that blackstrap molasses provides the most absorbable non-animal based iron. You can add it to smoothies, or pour it on pancakes or waffles. You can also bake things like sugar cookies with it.
thanks guys. i have been to the doc and had b12 injection today. and i have to take iron/folate tablets for 3 to 6 months to get my levels back up. Does anyone know what's a good vegan iron/folate tablet in australia?
"Even the bravest of us rarely has the courage for what he really knows" - Nietzsche :rolleyes:
HOPE U FEEL BETTER AND EVERYTHING WORKS OUT!
Peace Love Surf.
Thanks for that link, CC! I've been diagnosed as aneamic, my gp reckons it has to do with gastric bleeding and is unlikely to be diet-related. It's under investigation and I'm waiting to go see the hospital next month (damn nhs waiting lists).
Even so, I'm being extra super careful to get enough iron in my diet.
This is usually what I eat...
fortified breakfast cereal, or porage, with soya yogurt or milk. Orange juice.
dates (12-14) dipped in tahini
hummus with pitta bread and green leafy salad
pice of fruit
tvp or tofu or legume dish with at least 3-4 portions of veg, with carbs, quinoa, potato,pasta or rice
nuts, fruit, ordark chocolate a snack
does this look enough?
It is a monstrous thing to do, to slay a unicorn...you have slain something pure and defenceless and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.
Oh and does herbal or green tea contain tannin/inhibit absorbtion?
It is a monstrous thing to do, to slay a unicorn...you have slain something pure and defenceless and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.
Green tea has plenty of tannin in (and also caffeine).
Some herbal teas have tannin - depends what the ingredients are. Often the fruity ones do. Mint tea, nettle tea, spice teas (eg yogi licorice (sluurp yum)) should be tannin and caffeine free.
Isn't tannin good for gastric problems like that, though - it should toughen up the lining of the intestines.
"Danger" could be my middle name … but it's "John"
Doveingreyclothing, do you sometimes have dark green veg such as broccoli? I think they are meant to be quite good for supplying iron, particularly if you can have them with a source of vitamin C (such as tomatoes). Cooking in an iron pot, if you have one, is meant to be a good idea too.
If you want extra iron you could drink orange juice mixed with blackstrap molasses. Takes some getting used to though
Being anaemic makes us too weak to lift the iron pot!!!
Another one which no one has said yet is the herb dill. My neighbour's friend told me it builds up the blood if you have anaemia. Also beetroot is a blood builder.
Also parsley, wow that really is full of iron and vitamin C. Get a large amount of fresh parsley (about a pound), btw asian food stores are the best places to buy large quantities of herbs cheaply, wash it, cut off the stalks, put it in the blender with garlic, oilive oil, brazil nuts, lemon juice and some water and blend until smooth, serve it with pasta! It has a kick!
There is a liquid called ferrogreen which is available in health stores and is suitable for vegans, try
http://www.savant-health.com/product...?ProductID=189
they offered to send me a free bottle when I wrote to check it was vegan (it is)!
See my local diary ... http://herbwormwood.blogspot.com/
I got my blood tests results back today and they're normal!!!
Will have to try some of these tips out-cheers guys!
It is a monstrous thing to do, to slay a unicorn...you have slain something pure and defenceless and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.
Here's a link with a list of iron contents of foods.http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile68d.stm
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the veggie list, there's a rather disgusting list of meat products at the top!
As you can see from the list, not counting liver or seafood, which not a lot of omnis I know eat anyway(!) there isn't much difference in iron content, and tofu has more iron than beef!
It is a monstrous thing to do, to slay a unicorn...you have slain something pure and defenceless and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.
I've read various conflicting advice about the RDA for iron, from 14mg for women, to 15 or 18mg, to 26mg for vegans, and 31mg for female vegans... how on earth I can eat enough food to get 31mg without getting morbidly obese I don't know!
I currently eat maybe round the 14, 15mg mark and take a-z vitamins to be on the safe side.
It is a monstrous thing to do, to slay a unicorn...you have slain something pure and defenceless and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.
Personally, I don't worry too much about it. If you eat a wide range of foods, including those that have iron (combining iron rich food with a source of vitamin C helps with the absorption) you should be fine, unless you have a medical complaint. If in doubt, maybe have a blood test?
"Do what you can with what you have where you are."
- Theodore Roosevelt
i tend to agree. people are different and have different needs, so RDAs in my opinion aren't that important. as red says, as long as you eat a varied diet, it should be fine.RedWellies
also, i imagine that the important thing is the proportion of iron in your daily diet, not the numerical quantity
Piggy
I have heard that too much iron in the diet causes the same symtomss as too little...
Whatever you do, go get a blood test before you start supplementing even more with iron. Iron is one of those things you can actually overdose on.
Peace, love, and happiness.
I recently became ill through too much iron. I usually take 2 iron tabs a week just to make sure i'm keeping up my levels. Recently, I decided to up it to 1 a day to try and cure severe pmt, I was also taking b complex and b3. Anyway I got really nauseous, had heart palpitations and had the runs and it turned out to be the iron. All the symptoms subsided really quickly once I stopped taking it. I think the 2 tabs per week and eating an orange straight after dinner keep the levels up beautifully to be on the safe side. Remember iron is toxic in large doses.
I don't know if they have these warnings anywhere else, but on vitamin pills and medecines, they have warnings that say there's toxic amounts of iron if you take them all at once or something.
Peace, love, and happiness.
Yes most have warnings. However, I wasn't, according to the bottles, consuming more than directed but it was still too much for me. I don't think you need as many as they say if you have a good diet, just 1 now and again for a boost.
I find too much B vitamins make me feel sick. I can only take my multi-vitamin couple times a week.
Peace, love, and happiness.
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