Getting plenty of iron on a vegan diet is relatively easy. You simply need to incorporate the certain foods in your daily meals.
Focus on making the following iron-rich whole foods primary in your diet:
- Soybeans (29.2 mg in 1 cup)
- Kidney beans (15 mg in 1 cup)
- Mung beans (14 mg in 1 cup)
- Chickpeas (12.5 mg in 1 cup)
- Adzuki beans (9.8 mg in 1 cup)
- Pinto beans (9.8 mg in 1 cup)
- Oats (7.4 mg in 1 cup)
- Lentils (6.6 mg in 1 cup)
- Barley (6.6 mg in 1 cup)
- Tofu (6.6 mg in 1/2 cup, 124 mg)
- Baked beans (5 mg in 1 cup)
- Tahini (2.7mg in 2T or 5.4mg in 1/4 cup)
- Quinoa (4.6 mg in 1 cup)
- Lima beans (4.5 mg in 1 cup)
- Pumpkin Seed Butter (about 4.1mg in 1/4 cup)
- Goji Berries (2.8mg in 1/4 cup)
- Sesame seeds (about 2.6 mg in 2T)
- Pumpkin Seeds 2.5mg in 1/4 cup)
- Sourdough Bread (fermentation increases iron absorption) 2.3mg in 1 slice
- Chia seed (2.2 in 1/4 cup)
- Peas (2.1 mg in 1 cup)
- Fava beans (2 mg in 1 cup)
- Navy beans (2 mg in 1 cup)
- Dark Chocolate (1.9 mg in one square serving)
- Cashews (1.9 in 1/4 cup)
- Raisin bran (1.8mg in 1 serving)
- Baked Potato (1.9 mg in 1 medium)
- Canned coconut milk (1.8mg in 1/4 cup)
- Spinach (1.6mg in 2 cups)
- Blackstrap Molasses (1.4mg in 2T)
- Sunflower seed butter (1.3mg in 2T)
- Flaxseed (1.2 mg in 2T)
- Almond butter (1.1mg in 2T)
- Almonds (1.1 mg in 1/4 cup)
- Pistachio (1.1 mg in 1/4 cup)
- Whole grain bread (1 mg in 1 slice)
- Green beans (1 mg in 1 cup; 100g)
- Sunflower seeds (0.9 in 2T)
- Pumpkin seed (0.9 in 1.4 cup)
- Wheat Germ (0.9mg in 2T)
- Raisins (0.8mg in 1oz)
- Apricots (0.8mg in 1oz)
Include a good source of vitamin C in as many meals and healthy snacks as is possible and practical. Foods that are rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits and juices, cantaloupe, kiwifruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peppers, tomato juice, cabbage, cauliflower.
The Safety of Heme vs Non-Heme Iron
