Which foods are rich in iron?
There are two kinds of iron found in foods; haem, which is readily absorbed by the body, and non-haem, which has a slightly different chemical structure and is less easily absorbed.
Good sources of haem iron include liver, lean red meat, chicken, fish, shellfish and eggs.
Non-haem iron can be found in dairy products, whole grains, beans, pulses and lentils, brown rice, dried fruit, broccoli, spinach and asparagus.
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, then obviously your choices are limited to foods containing less readily absorbed non-haem iron. Including plenty of vitamin C rich fresh fruit and veg in your diet, however, can significantly increase your uptake of non-haem iron and of course, you can choose iron fortified breakfast cereals and iron supplements from your local health food store to boost your intake.
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