Iron is a mineral that has many important functions in our body, with its main one being to carry oxygen throughout your body as a part of your red blood cells. Iron is an essential nutrient, meaning you must get it from food. The Daily Value (DV) is 18 mg. Interestingly, the amount of iron your body absorbs is partly based on how much you have stored. A deficiency can occur if your intake is too low to replace the amount you lose every day.
Iron Rich Foods
- Chicken Liver: 11mg
- Beef: 3.5mg
- Lamb: 3.2mg
- Salmon: 1.28mg
- Tin Tuna: 1.07mg
- Pork: 0.8mg
- Chicken: 0.4mg
- Per 100 grams
- Weetabix (30g): 4.2mg
- Kidney Beans (1cup): 3.2mg
- Green Lentils (1cup): 3.1mg
- Tofu (100g): 2.96mg
- Chickpeas (1cup): 2.7mg
- Wholemeal Cooked Pasta (1cup): 2.3mg
- Cashew Nuts (20nuts): 1.5mg
- Raw Spinach (1cup): 1.2mg
- Almonds (30g): 1.1mg
- Broccoli (1cup): 0.86mg
- Cooked Brown Rice (1cup): 0.7mg
How can I improve my iron intake?
Eat foods high in vitamin C with the above foods
Cook your plant foods
Avoid having tea, coffee or calcium directly with a source of iron
Ensure that you only take iron supplements under the advice of a GP as too much iron can also be harmful.
