11 Super Foods High in Iron to Fight Against Diseases

In this list, we’ll have 11 super foods high in iron that will make your body healthier and better against viruses. Some of the iron-rich foods can surprise you because they’ve been told as bad food choices by fad diets.

Well, they are fad diets because they try to create a buzz by talking about a so-called groundbreaking finding related to diets. They make you cut a super important part like healthy fat out of your diet to replace it with some empty food choice that’s not as healthy as they claim. It’s all a marketing ploy to lure you into buying things you don’t need.

Iron is the polar opposite, you have to have iron in your diet because your body can’t produce its own. So, what exactly does iron do for your body?

What Iron Does for The Body?

Iron is an essential mineral that our body uses to grow and repair. Once you have iron in your body, your body uses it to make hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to everywhere in your body. Also, iron helps your body to make myoglobin, another protein that carries oxygen to muscles. Lastly, your body uses iron for the making of some hormones.

If you don’t get enough iron in your system you may suffer from; fatigue, dizziness, pale skin, headache, and more. Do you want to learn more about the risk factors of iron deficiency? If yes, check this out: “17 Risky and Important Side Effects of Iron Supplements”.

You should eat a balanced diet that consists of enough foods high in iron. We’ll learn exactly which foods are higher in iron compared to others, let’s start our list.

11 Super Foods High in Iron

1) Spinach

Our first pick doesn’t come as a surprise. Spinach is excellent when it comes to being rich in iron, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw spinach has 2.7 mg of iron which is 15% of the DV.

Besides being rich in iron, it is also a perfect source for; protein, calcium, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins such as A, C and E. Did you know that vitamin C boosts iron absorption significantly? Two birds, one stone.

We recommend spinach for people who want to get their iron from low-calorie food to avoid gaining weight.

2) Fish

Fish is super healthy for your body; especially tuna is high in iron compared to other fish. Only 3 ounces (85 grams) of canned tuna has 1.5 mg of iron.

As you know, fish is high in omega 3. This healthy fat can fight against various sicknesses, promote brain health and improve immune function. Besides iron and omega 3, it also has vitamin B12, selenium, and niacin.

So, what are some other fish that are high in iron besides tuna? Sardines, mackerel, and haddock are all excellent to put in your diet.

3) Lentils

Lentils could be our favorite food because it’s an awesome source of protein, iron, and fiber. It combines the strong sides of them all; to keep you satiated, lower your cholesterol and stabilize your blood sugar.

This true superfood will help you whether you want to lose fat, make muscle or just be overall healthy. Start integrating it into your diet immediately to see results.

4) Organ Meats

Whether you choose liver, kidneys, heart, or brain to put into your diet; they are all iron-rich. Only a 3.5 ounce (100 grams) of beef liver contains 6.5 mg of iron which is 36% of the DV.

Also, organ meats are amazing sources of protein, copper, choline, selenium, vitamin A and B.

If you pass on these meats, you’ll be missing out on a lot of health benefits.

5) Chickpeas

Per cup, chickpeas have 5 mg of iron and a lot of protein, which makes it an awesome choice for vegans and vegetarians.

You can make hummus and salad with chickpeas to consume your iron more enjoyably. Also, add lemon juice into your hummus and salad because remember that vitamin C helps the consummation of iron.

6) Red Meat

Red meat is a controversial food, some consider it healthy and some consider it not. Well, let’s talk about its benefits and then it’s up to you.

First of all; a 3.5 ounce (100 grams) of ground beef has 2.7 mg of iron. Second of all; it’s rich in protein, zinc, B vitamin, and selenium.

Also, you should know that, if you are a vegan or vegetarian, you may be suffering from iron deficiency. In research published by PubMed, people who don’t eat meat and fish are more likely to be iron deficient. (1)

7) Pumpkin Seeds

Even though pumpkin seeds are super small, the amount of taste and benefits they carry is huge. An ounce of (28 grams) pumpkin seeds has 2.5 mg of iron.  Also, pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium, zinc, manganese, and vitamin K.

You can eat pumpkin seeds by putting in your yogurt, salad, and bread to get the most of its taste.

8) Fortified Breakfast Cereal

Check out the nutrition labels of cereals to see which one has the most iron. A bowl of cereal can make up your 90 to 100 percent of daily iron needs. Besides iron, they also have; fiber, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B.

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, which means you should eat a balanced breakfast that consists of cheese, eggs, olives, and bread. Only eating one type of food in the mornings is not enough and that includes fortified breakfast cereal.

9) Quinoa

Quinoa is a popular food among vegans and vegetarians. It has 2.8 mg of iron in one cup (185 grams), and it’s rich in protein, magnesium, manganese, copper, and folate. Also, it has a lot of antioxidants that will protect your cells against stress.

Finally, if you prefer food with no gluten, quinoa is a super healthy source for that. Besides quinoa, let’s list some gluten-free food sources that you can include in your diet; brown rice, wild rice, sorghum, spinach, broccoli, mushroom, onion, carrot, banana, apple, peach, chickpeas, red meat, and fish.

10) Broccoli

A cup (155 grams) of broccoli has 1 mg of iron, which you can eat to help your daily iron need but it won’t be enough on its own. Still, just like spinach, it’s a great source of vitamin C that will make you absorb more iron.

Besides iron and vitamin C, it also has; folate, fiber, and vitamin K.

11) Dark Chocolate

Wait, dark chocolate, really? Well it can’t have a lot of iron in it, right? Wrong, an ounce (28 grams) of dark chocolate has 3.4 mg of iron, which makes up 19% of your DV. It also has a lot of copper and magnesium.

Besides its awesome taste, it also has prebiotic fiber that helps the friendly bacteria you have in your gut. The health benefits don’t end there, it also reduces cholesterol, risks of heart attacks and strokes.

You won’t feel guilty while eating dark chocolate anymore!

Sometimes foods high in iron are not enough. If you want to see iron supplements, check out: “Best Supplements for Iron That Will Make You Powerful”.

Conclusion

We’ve listed 11 awesome foods high in iron. Consume the foods you chose in this list regularly to promote your wellbeing because your body can’t produce its own iron. If you don’t start to eat iron-rich foods, you may face illnesses that happen due to iron deficiency.

Always eat balanced and don’t leave out vegetables ever. Also, some people make mistakes in their diet when it comes to losing weight. They leave out fat, carbohydrates, and fibers completely. You need all these sources to lose fat efficiently and be healthy.

Don’t fall for idiotic fad diets that ignore basic nutritional needs, you can’t lose weight without compromising your health once you cut carbs or fat out of your diet completely! Weight loss journey takes time, just be patient.

Also, let us know in the comments that, which foods high in iron surprised you the most with their nutritional content?

Thank you.

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