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What are good vegetarian sources of iron?

  • 01-02-2010 1:33pm
    #1
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi,

    was vegetarian for a while but am not at the moment (would be pescetarian sp?)...still, I hope to go back to it when I have my baby. What are good sources of iron...in years past that was why I always went back to meat as I got so anemic. At the moment soy is out as I am not happy with the idea of taking it during pregnany. Would be greatful for any advice.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    http://www.groovyvegetarian.com/2009/05/16/more-vegetarian-iron-sources/

    In general, green leafy vegetables have a good iron content, but as a pregnant woman you'll need to consume twice the RDA of iron of a non-pregnant woman. This could lead to lots of salads and piles of spinach :)


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    seamus wrote: »
    http://www.groovyvegetarian.com/2009/05/16/more-vegetarian-iron-sources/

    In general, green leafy vegetables have a good iron content, but as a pregnant woman you'll need to consume twice the RDA of iron of a non-pregnant woman. This could lead to lots of salads and piles of spinach :)
    Thanks for the link...I'm also very anemic so I probably should be eating iron all the time...jnr starts producing his own blood cells now so it should be fun...

    I have always found that in the past I could never get enough iron so all help is greatfully appreciated.

    Edit: Just looked at that, thanks again, that is exactly what I have been looking for...am a very fussy eater but there are lots of foods there that I am craving (hmm, I wonder why)...and I love pac choi...thanks again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Just be careful going on that link, the link says this itself, but it's easy to miss: The values given there are based on calorific contents. So while cooked spinach is listed as having 31mg of Iron (your full RDA, more-or-less), that's in a 200kcal portion of spinach.

    100g of spinach has about 23kcal, so in order to eat 200kcal worth of spinach and get your RDA, you'd need to eat just under a kilo a day. And no matter how much you like spinach....bleugh.


  • Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭StevoTG


    I have to confess that if I'm ever worried that I'm not getting enough iron, I just crack open a couple of cans of kidney beans and grab a fork. They've got plenty of iron (I think the tins say 15% of your RDI per 100g) and I love them.. as does the dog, Holly, which explains why I open two tins :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,788 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    I posted this before but here it is again :)

    Spirulina:
    Nature's richest and most complete source of total organic nutrition. This green superfood containing over 100 synergistic nutrients comes from a microscopic freshwater plant, ecologically grown without chemicals and concentrated by removing nothing but the water. Spirulina is widely used throughout the world as a food supplement for maintaining health, energy and optimum weight.

    -Nature's richest source of protein (65% of it's weight), 300% more than fish, meat or poultry (but with zero cholesterol).
    -58x richer in iron than spinach. A non-toxic organic source. Taking the maintenance level of Spirulina provides 39% RDA
    -Richest wholefood source of anti-oxidants (25x richer in beta carotene than carrot)
    -2x richer in chlorophyll than alfalfa, barleygrass or wheatgrass
    -Natures richest source of vitamin B12 (often lacking in a vegetarian diet)
    -Spirulina assists weight control by curbing the appetite naturally while still supplying a full range of nutrients needed for a balanced diet.
    -As an unrefined whole food, Spirulina is absorbed up to 16x more effectively than synthetic multivitamin supplements.


    I also heard that the original person who studied spinach put a decimal point in the wrong place and it's actually 10x less than what was originally thought?

    Spinach is great anyway, eat it raw in salads or just simply cook it with garlic and it's yum and full of goodness! Crush garlic to release the best nutrients and bacteria fighting thingies.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 50 ✭✭ContyHooks


    I like to mix it up, do you like chickpeas? I eat a lot of humous and chickpea burgers and chickpea currys etc. They have a high iron content. Cabbage, spinach, broccoli etc are good too. Apricots, lentils and beans too and I've noticed most of the breakfast cereals I eat are fortified with iron. I take a multivitamin every day too that has about 90% of your iron RDA.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,414 ✭✭✭kraggy


    Broccoli is very high in iron.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 50 ✭✭ContyHooks


    cormie wrote: »
    I posted this before but here it is again :)

    Spirulina:
    Nature's richest and most complete source of total organic nutrition. This green superfood containing over 100 synergistic nutrients comes from a microscopic freshwater plant, ecologically grown without chemicals and concentrated by removing nothing but the water. Spirulina is widely used throughout the world as a food supplement for maintaining health, energy and optimum weight.

    -Nature's richest source of protein (65% of it's weight), 300% more than fish, meat or poultry (but with zero cholesterol).
    -58x richer in iron than spinach. A non-toxic organic source. Taking the maintenance level of Spirulina provides 39% RDA
    -Richest wholefood source of anti-oxidants (25x richer in beta carotene than carrot)
    -2x richer in chlorophyll than alfalfa, barleygrass or wheatgrass
    -Natures richest source of vitamin B12 (often lacking in a vegetarian diet)
    -Spirulina assists weight control by curbing the appetite naturally while still supplying a full range of nutrients needed for a balanced diet.
    -As an unrefined whole food, Spirulina is absorbed up to 16x more effectively than synthetic multivitamin supplements.


    I also heard that the original person who studied spinach put a decimal point in the wrong place and it's actually 10x less than what was originally thought?

    Spinach is great anyway, eat it raw in salads or just simply cook it with garlic and it's yum and full of goodness! Crush garlic to release the best nutrients and bacteria fighting thingies.

    Ah spirulina, natures "superfood". I used to take that for a while but the RDA was 9 capsules (500mg I think) so 4.5g of it a day it just became annoying having to take so much lol!

    Just something else to remember, theres no point consuming iron if you aren't getting enough vitamin C. Its necessary to absorb iron.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,126 ✭✭✭sweet-rasmus


    StevoTG wrote: »
    I have to confess that if I'm ever worried that I'm not getting enough iron, I just crack open a couple of cans of kidney beans and grab a fork. They've got plenty of iron (I think the tins say 15% of your RDI per 100g) and I love them.. as does the dog, Holly, which explains why I open two tins :)

    Awwww! Adorable :) I wonder if my cat would give them a shot on my next iron fix...


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    ContyHooks wrote: »
    I like to mix it up, do you like chickpeas? I eat a lot of humous and chickpea burgers and chickpea currys etc. They have a high iron content. Cabbage, spinach, broccoli etc are good too. Apricots, lentils and beans too and I've noticed most of the breakfast cereals I eat are fortified with iron. I take a multivitamin every day too that has about 90% of your iron RDA.
    I hate chickpeas, lentils, brocolli, sorry :( Beans are not great for me and spirllulla is out as I am pregnant (as are multivits)...

    Does anyone know a calorie dense high iron source? Sorry for being so akward.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭StevoTG


    Awwww! Adorable :) I wonder if my cat would give them a shot on my next iron fix...

    Try spitting them up in the air, that's how Holly eats them :D She catches them in her mouth (well, not always). I know of one other person who does this with their dog. I can't picture a cat doing it, but I'd love to be wrong!
    CathyMoran wrote: »
    I hate chickpeas, lentils, brocolli, sorry :( Beans are not great for me and spirllulla is out as I am pregnant (as are multivits)...

    Does anyone know a calorie dense high iron source? Sorry for being so akward.

    Dry-roasted Macadamia Nuts. They're high in iron and B vitamins. They're calorically dense and full of healthy fats :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,441 ✭✭✭planetX


    Hi, when I was pregnant and living abroad I asked my doctor about getting enough iron. She told me to cook my food in an iron pot. I kid you not...


  • Registered Users Posts: 582 ✭✭✭Thoushaltnot


    Not only cook your food in a cast iron pot but make enough of a tomato based dish for 2 days and leave the other half in the pot overnight. The acids in the toms leech small amounts of iron into your food. However, rhubarb and spinach are not good for overnighting in a cast iron pot - I think their acids bind to the iron but in a way that stops it being bioavailable .

    Whatever your source of iron, take a source of Vit C with it - easiest being a glass of fresh orange juice with your meal, for example.

    Lastly, try not to have a dairy protein meal with an iron rich protein meal, eg. beans, dark green leafys and orange juice for one main meal and cheesey omlette at another rather than a spinach omlette and cheesy beans. AFAIR, calcium/mag tends to get absorbed at the expense of iron.

    I know a girl who mainly based her veggie meals on cheese and eggs and became severly anaemic.

    Also, avoid tea and coffee with the iron rich meals. Nearly forgot!


  • Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭gigawatt


    thyme apparently! why dont you just take an iron supplement, galfer or the like


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    gigawatt wrote: »
    thyme apparently! why dont you just take an iron supplement, galfer or the like
    I cant take iron supplements as I can not swallow tablets, iron supplements make me sick and I have a history of stomach ulcers :( My Iron is about 8.9 at the moment and I am wrecked!


  • Registered Users Posts: 582 ✭✭✭Thoushaltnot


    The darkest chocolate you can take.

    Cocoa/choc is very rich in iron indeed.

    With your favourite fruit. (Guavas are particularly rich in the C)

    And a dark rich chocolate is more recommended for fondue. Strawberries, dipped in chocolate..fed to you by babydaddy... (see where I'm going with this :-) )



    The mexicans stir in some cocoa powder into their chilli dishes, so you might want to experiment with a taespoon of cocoa into chillis/stews/fakemince.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    CathyMoran wrote: »
    I cant take iron supplements as I can not swallow tablets, iron supplements make me sick and I have a history of stomach ulcers :( My Iron is about 8.9 at the moment and I am wrecked!

    Spatone is an iron rich water, that is gentle on your stomach.
    Tis good, if you fancy giving it a try. In all chemists and healthfood shops.


  • Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭gigawatt


    CathyMoran wrote: »
    I cant take iron supplements as I can not swallow tablets, iron supplements make me sick and I have a history of stomach ulcers :( My Iron is about 8.9 at the moment and I am wrecked!

    hi, that is very low and you have my sympathy, to be honest i went to 9 once and was told that id probably be looking at blood tranfusions if it went any lower, its awful. you need to talk to a good pharmacist as iron supplements come in different forms they are types of salts, and i had terrible trouble finding one that didnt make me utterly wretchedly ill. i also have tummy trouble so i know how hard it can be, believe me, it is worth taking them as once the anemia clears up you will feel so much better, no more faintness, lack of enegy cold feet etc, i tried spatone and floradix for ages but they did very little to bring up my levels within 2 months of taking tablets i noticed a big difference. talk to a pharmacist, there will be one thats right for you, its worth the gagging etc lol also take your supplement with your biggest meal of the day, it makes a huge difference.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    gigawatt wrote: »
    hi, that is very low and you have my sympathy, to be honest i went to 9 once and was told that id probably be looking at blood tranfusions if it went any lower, its awful. you need to talk to a good pharmacist as iron supplements come in different forms they are types of salts, and i had terrible trouble finding one that didnt make me utterly wretchedly ill. i also have tummy trouble so i know how hard it can be, believe me, it is worth taking them as once the anemia clears up you will feel so much better, no more faintness, lack of enegy cold feet etc, i tried spatone and floradix for ages but they did very little to bring up my levels within 2 months of taking tablets i noticed a big difference. talk to a pharmacist, there will be one thats right for you, its worth the gagging etc lol also take your supplement with your biggest meal of the day, it makes a huge difference.
    Thanks, all the iron suplements say that I cant take them, even the spatone which i just googled...am trying everything but i also have a problem getting enough food in as i dont have my oesophagus...blood transfusions are being looked at.


  • Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭gigawatt


    ah right, well thats a different kettle of fish altogether, sounds like you need to be referred to a nutritionist who will help you to develop a plan that will take into account all of your nutritional needs and physical need due to your osophogeal problems. the immediate options id say that are available to you are blood transfusions or iron infusions, though my consultant was very reluctant to opt for the latter and i trust her so iknow there must be a good reason. good luck with sorting things out i hope you feel better soon!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 20,788 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Cathy can I ask how did you manage to get to such a low level and to have such bad reactions to everything and to be so limited to what you can have? Don't go into too much detail or I might faint though :o


  • Registered Users Posts: 582 ✭✭✭Thoushaltnot


    also excellent but won't be an option for a month or three. Make sure that they are harvested well away from the road and only use the young fresh leaves and tips.

    I've never figured out what they're nice with, nor how to harvest without getting the sting and the rash.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    cormie wrote: »
    Cathy can I ask how did you manage to get to such a low level and to have such bad reactions to everything and to be so limited to what you can have? Don't go into too much detail or I might faint though :o
    Being honest I was always a fussy eater...first tried being vegetarian/vegan at 12 but got badly anemic so had to go back...eating fish has been giving me enough iron pre-pregnancy but I would like to be vegetarian again. Medically am a type 1 diabetic, had stomach ulcers since my early 20's and got diagnosed with oesophageal cancer 3 years ago at the age of 32...still alive though and trying to eat as well as possible...

    I hate meat from an ethical point of view, does not help that we have pet fish that we dote on...


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    My hubby has an iron level of 4 so I consider myself lucky...am a food scientist too so I should know better...a lot of the stuff here has been very useful though and I appreciate it.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    CathyMoran wrote: »
    My hubby has an iron level of 4 so I consider myself lucky...am a food scientist too so I should know better...a lot of the stuff here has been very useful though and I appreciate it.

    4! Jesus....I've been as low as you are now. And it felt awful.
    Can't imagine how wiped he must feel.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    Moonbaby wrote: »
    4! Jesus....I've been as low as you are now. And it felt awful.
    Can't imagine how wiped he must feel.
    We are the funny pair...he is far more active than me...he is getting it looked into though. He cant take iron either or even most iron rich foods as he is allergic, at least I can take some...we both look like vampires:D

    Have tried eating some of the foods that people suggested and they have helped but I eat a fair bit of dairy at the moment so spacing food is tough but am trying...


  • Registered Users Posts: 582 ✭✭✭Thoushaltnot


    CathyMoran wrote: »
    Thanks, all the iron suplements say that I cant take them, even the spatone which i just googled...am trying everything but i also have a problem getting enough food in as i dont have my oesophagus...blood transfusions are being looked at.

    Why can't you take them? I thought, from an earlier post, that you just couldn't swallow and was going to suggest a mortar and pestle, grind down the tablet and mix it into food. but Spatone? What are you googling for, ie. what's the issue? If you tell us, we might have a workaround.

    By the way, am I right in asuming that your food has to be of a liquid consistency - soups, porridges, smoothies, purees?


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    Why can't you take them? I thought, from an earlier post, that you just couldn't swallow and was going to suggest a mortar and pestle, grind down the tablet and mix it into food. but Spatone? What are you googling for, ie. what's the issue? If you tell us, we might have a workaround.

    By the way, am I right in asuming that your food has to be of a liquid consistency - soups, porridges, smoothies, purees?
    I cant have large tablets but iron suplements always cause me to vomit severly (and are contraindicated with stomach ulcers) and I struggle to keep up my weight. I can eat regular food, just not large volumes. My iron level went up slighly with the dietary improvements I made but not enough.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,886 ✭✭✭Darlughda


    I used to be severely anaemic and I was told dried apricots was one of the best sources of iron. But I never got round to researching this as I went onto the heavy duty iron supplements-yes the stomach cramps and other complications were not good.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Sapsorrow


    Not only cook your food in a cast iron pot but make enough of a tomato based dish for 2 days and leave the other half in the pot overnight. The acids in the toms leech small amounts of iron into your food. However, rhubarb and spinach are not good for overnighting in a cast iron pot - I think their acids bind to the iron but in a way that stops it being bioavailable .

    Whatever your source of iron, take a source of Vit C with it - easiest being a glass of fresh orange juice with your meal, for example.

    Lastly, try not to have a dairy protein meal with an iron rich protein meal, eg. beans, dark green leafys and orange juice for one main meal and cheesey omlette at another rather than a spinach omlette and cheesy beans. AFAIR, calcium/mag tends to get absorbed at the expense of iron.

    I know a girl who mainly based her veggie meals on cheese and eggs and became severly anaemic.

    Also, avoid tea and coffee with the iron rich meals. Nearly forgot!

    This is the most sensible advice in the thread, for vegetarians the main thing is to make sure you're not inhibiting your ability to absorb the iron in any way seeing as bioavailability is so low from plant sources anyway. Beans and nuts aren't gonna offer much I'm afraid, a mega dose of green leafies twice daily with a dressing based on freshly squeezed lemon, lime and orange juice is yer best bet and avoid tea and coffee like the plague.
    Tbh I wouldn't be sure about your switching to a 100% vegetarian diet at least until yer well after the pregnancy and breast feeding stage, but even then I'd think about it carefully first. A little bit of good organic meat is a very important source of nutrition for some people and this might be the case for you if your diet is trstricted in other ways are you're not fond of beans etc..
    Like Thoushaltnot mentioned don't use calcium supplements or dairy at the same time as you eat your iron rich meals.


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