Iron may not give you superhuman strength like Popeye’s nemesis Bluto, but this mineral is essential for a number of functions in the body. It helps form red blood cells, supports your metabolism and more. In fact, getting too little of this essential nutrient can leave you feeling tired and weak.
Eating the right foods can help you meet your DV for iron, which is 18 mg per day. Iron-rich foods include meat, fish, poultry, whole grains and leafy vegetables. You also can get it from plant-based sources like beans and nuts. When shopping for food, look for the amount of iron on the label. Note that a food might be listed with two iron amounts: one in the chemical compound form and the other as elemental iron, which is unbound from other nutrients. The chemical form is more common in supplements.
Most heme (meat) proteins are high in iron, including beef (3.61 mg of iron in a 3-ounce serving of lean ground beef) and chicken (2.63 mg in three ounces of dark-meat rotisserie chicken). For non-meat options, go for a serving of lentils (3.8 g of iron per cup) or black beans (3.61 g of iron per cup) — both good sources of iron. Aside from providing protein, these legumes contain other important nutrients like folate and potassium.
Some plant-based proteins, such as quinoa and swiss chard, are also rich in iron. So are some whole grains, including oats and puffed rice, which is often found in bran muffins. A medium oat bran muffin (toppings excluded) contains 4.75 mg of iron.
Whether you are an omnivore or follow a plant-based diet, eating a variety of iron-rich foods is key to meeting your DV. Try pairing a source of heme iron (meat or seafood) with foods that are rich in vitamin C, which can help boost absorption. Examples of these foods include tomatoes, citrus fruits and some peppers.
Many leafy greens are rich in iron, including spinach (5mg of iron per cup), kale (4mg of iron per cup) and Swiss chard (4mg of iron per cooked cup). If you don’t love leafy veggies, consider adding them to a smoothie or salad with other nutrient-rich ingredients, such as avocados, carrots or beets. You can also add them to a soup or stir-fry.