Iron is a component of hemoglobin and an important mineral for our survival. We need iron for the effective transportation of oxygen through our red blood cells. A shortage of iron can lead to health problems, including headaches, tiredness, dizziness, and iron deficiency anemia. But don’t worry; you can always work on increasing the iron levels in your body simply by changing what you eat. In this blog post, we have put together a list of 7 foods high in iron. Keep on reading to find out what they are!
1. Spinach
Spinach has many health benefits, and one of them is that it contains a good amount of iron. One hundred grams of spinach contains about 2.7 mg of iron. However, the iron is not absorbed very well into the bloodstream. This is because spinach also contains oxalates that bind themselves with the iron and prevent it from being absorbed properly. Spinach is also rich in Vitamin C, which helps to absorb iron, so it almost balances itself out.
2. Breakfast Cereals
There are many breakfast cereals that are rich in iron, but you need to choose the right one to ensure that you get sufficient iron from it. The important thing to note while buying cereal is to check if it is fortified cereal. Fortified cereals contain 100 percent of the daily iron value. Don’t go for the colorful, sugary cereal variety, as they are not only unhealthy but also lack iron.
3. White Beans
White beans are incredibly rich in iron. About 1 cup of white beans has 5.08 mg of iron. You can also go for canned white beans as they contain about 7.83 mg of iron. However, canned white beans might contain extra sodium content as most manufacturers use sodium as a preservative. That being said, white beans are a great source of iron and can be added to salads, pasta, soups, or be eaten on their own.
