6 Types of Foods High in Iron to Fight Anemia and Maintain a Healthy Weight

Iron deficiency anemia can be fought with simple dietary measures. Learn which foods rich in iron can help you prevent and fight anemia.

Few things impact our health as much as the food we consume. For better or worse, we are what we eat! A balanced diet can prevent and fight many diseases. That’s why we’re talking about iron-rich foods that can help fight anemia and its bothersome symptoms.

What is Anemia, and How Does it Affect Your Health?

Anemia is a health condition that occurs when the body cannot produce enough red blood cells. These cells transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body through the protein hemoglobin. The causes of anemia can range from genetic factors to habits and other diseases that affect red blood cell production.

The symptoms of iron deficiency are pale skin, chest pain, headache, dizziness, cold extremities, brittle nails, and tongue inflammation. Additionally, two of the most common symptoms are a constant feeling of fatigue and, in some cases, shortness of breath. These symptoms may negatively impact your progress if you are an athlete or trying to lose weight with an exercise program.

How to Combat Anemia?

To avoid the risk of iron deficiency, you can include iron-rich foods to combat anemia caused by iron and vitamin B12 deficiency. Here are 6 types of foods you should incorporate into your diet to improve your red blood cell production.

Foods High in Iron for Anemia

According to information shared by the Red Cross, food provides two types of iron: “heme iron” (from animal products) and “non-heme iron” (from plant sources). Heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body, with an average iron absorption rate of 25%, while the non-heme form of iron is around 10%.

In any case, it’s ideal to include animal and plant-based products in our iron-rich diet to take advantage of the iron and all the other essential nutrients they provide. It also balances out less healthy elements like the fats in red meat. That said, here are six types of foods rich in iron that can help you fight anemia:

• Meat and Eggs
• Seafood
• Vegetables
• Bread and Cereals
• Fruit
• Legumes

Meat and Eggs

When talking about meat in this section, we’re not just referring to usual cuts like chicken, turkey breast, or lamb steaks. One of the food products with the highest amount and net absorption of iron is the internal organs of animals. This includes the liver, heart, lungs, and even cooked blood. Beef spleen, for example, provides more than 8 milligrams of iron in just two tablespoons of the product. So if you’re one of those who despise liver and onions, it might be time to reconsider.

If you cannot consume this type of food due to taste or medical restrictions, traditional cuts of chicken, beef, and eggs are also good sources of iron.

Seafood

Shellfish and fish from the sea and rivers are other foods that provide good amounts of iron to our bodies. Bonito, zungaro, and tuyo are three varieties that offer significant iron contributions. In addition, fish helps strengthen the immune system thanks to the vitamins and minerals it contains. These include magnesium, iodine, fluoride, zinc, and vitamins B3, B12, and E. If you have children at home, fish will help improve their growth and development.

Shellfish such as shrimp, clams, oysters, and scallops are other good options for expanding your recipe book while maintaining your iron levels.

Vegetables

Although meat and seafood are the kings of iron-rich foods in terms of grams provided, many vegetables can supply essential amounts of this mineral for those with a vegetarian diet. Vegetables you can include in your meals to increase your iron intake include:

• Spinach
• Sweet Potato
• Peas
• Broccoli
• Swiss Chard

These vegetables can be consumed in various forms such as creams, salads, steamed, or as a side dish to another meal.

Bread and Cereals

Bread and cereals are another group of foods rich in iron you shouldn’t leave out of your kitchen. Although their calorie and carbohydrate content often relegates them to diets, consuming them in moderation and in their healthiest forms is an excellent way to add extra iron to your diet.

The most recommended foods in this group are whole-grain bread, enriched pasta, bran-fortified cereals, and oatmeal cereals. Avoid white bread and ultra-processed pasta dishes.

Fruit

Fruits, that sort of magical product of nature, almost always appear in any healthy food list for one reason or another. In this case, the fruits that can provide you with a good dose of iron are:

• Strawberries
• Watermelon
• Raisins and prunes
• Dates
• Figs
• Dried Peaches and Apricots

Whether you consume them in the morning in a salad, in juice, or as an afternoon snack, this group of foods with iron will help you improve your red blood cell count. You will also receive all the vitamins to strengthen your immune function.

Legumes

The last champion of this list is the legume group. Dried beans, black beans, lentils, and chickpeas are some foods rich in iron in this group that you can try to improve your diet. Tofu and corn and maple syrup are also excellent sources of iron for the body.

How Much Iron Do You Need Daily?

According to the National Institutes of Health, a person’s daily iron intake varies by age and sex. The table below shows the recommended daily iron intake based on these factors. However, remember that other circumstances may affect this calculation, and it’s important to always consult with your health specialist to determine your specific needs.

Life Stage	Recommended Amount
0 - 6 months babies	0.27 mg
7 - 12 months infants	11 mg
1 - 3 years children	7 mg
4 - 8 years children	10 mg
9 - 13 years children	8 mg
14 - 18 years teen boys	11 mg
14 - 18 years teen girls	15 mg
19 - 50 years adult men	8 mg
19 - 50 years adult women	18 mg
+51 years adults	8 mg
Pregnant teens	27 mg
Pregnant women	27 mg
Breastfeeding teens	10 mg
Breastfeeding women	9 mg

Chart adapted from The National Institutes of Health.

Other Ways to Get Iron

While obtaining all the nutrients the body requires through our diet is ideal, we must admit that sometimes it is difficult to cook recipes that meet a balanced diet's requirements. That’s why many dietary supplement options are on the market to fill our diet's deficiencies. This is a great option; the key is choosing the right supplement.

Yes You Can! Iron Supplements

With this in mind, Yes You Can! has created products that meet the body’s nutritional needs while supporting your exercise and weight loss goals. To maintain optimal levels of iron, check out what the Yes You Can! Multivitamin can do for you.

Yes You Can! Multivitamin

The Yes You Can! Multivitamin combines 29 key nutrients for our body in a single capsule. Its blend of vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, in addition to several from the B group, provides you with an energy and immunity boost to face each day with the best attitude.

This practical and effective supplement also provides multiple minerals, including iron. With 18 mg of iron per capsule, this product ensures the necessary nutrient intake in your diet, preventing anemia and other diseases resulting from iron deficiency.

Take care of your body so it can take care of you with Yes You Can!

Achieving the figure we dream of is impossible without a healthy body. Start taking care of your body inside and out with exercise, a balanced diet, and Yes You Can! supplements. Explore our online store and find your ideal supplement. For more helpful information and tips for a healthy life from healthy people, don’t forget to visit our blog.