Foods are rich in iron. Where is iron found, in which foods is it most? Daily values ​​for adults and children

Iron is an important trace element for our body, which is largely involved in the construction of hemoglobin and the transport of oxygen to organs with its help. As we said earlier, the daily requirement for iron for men is 10-15 mg per day, for women - 15-20 mg per day, and for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, the daily requirement is 30-35 mg per day.

Iron is found in both plant foods and animal foods.

Below we present 10 foods that are especially rich in iron and are beneficial for our body.

1. Liver (up to 30 mg of iron per 100 g of product).

The liver is a product of animal origin and iron is found in it in a divalent form, which is almost completely absorbed in our body. The iron content in the liver depends on the type of meat, and the darker it is, the more of the microelement we need it contains:

Duck liver is the leader in iron, and its content is 30 mg,

The liver of a young calf contains 14 mg of iron,

In third position is pig liver, which contains 12 mg of iron,

Chicken liver contains 8.6 mg of iron,

Beef liver is less rich in iron and contains 5.7 mg.

For example, meat contains less iron than liver:

Beef contains 3.2 mg of iron,

Lamb - 2.3 mg iron,

Turkey - 1.8 mg iron,

Pork - 1.5 mg iron.

2. Wheat bran (up to 16 mg of iron per 100 g of product).

They are the leader in iron content among other cereals and contain 16 mg of iron per 100 g of product. For comparison, 100g of oatmeal contains only 4.6 mg of iron. They are best consumed for breakfast, mainly with orange juice, or combined with foods that contain vitamin C.

3. Pumpkin seeds (12.1 mg per 100g).

Pumpkin seeds contain up to 12.1 mg of iron, but in addition, the seeds contain vitamins A, D, E, K, B vitamins, large quantities of vitamin E (has a powerful antioxidant effect), as well as folic acid and minerals. They are usually added to muesli, but can also be mixed into salads or added to soups.

4.Sesame (10 mg of iron per 100g).

10 mg of beneficial iron is contained in 100 g of sesame, which also contains vitamin A, B, E, C, amino acids and proteins, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Sesame is added to muesli or used to make sweet baked goods.

5. Capsicum fruits (up to 8.6 mg per 100g).

Soybean is the richest in iron and contains up to 8.6 mg per 100 g of product, however, the calcium it contains reduces the absorption of iron in the body, so it is better to consume its seeds together with vitamin C. Dried lentil fruits contain iron from 6.9 mg, which is 3 times higher than that of a canned product. Other leguminous fruits also contain iron, but in smaller quantities:

Red beans - 6.8 mg iron,

White beans - 6 mg,

Peas - 5 mg iron.

6. Flaxseeds (up to 8.2 mg of iron per 100 g of product).

It has long been known that flaxseeds contain many ballast substances that promote digestion. What also makes them valuable is that they contain a fairly high level of iron - up to 8.2 mg per 100g of product.

7. Amaranth (7.6-8 mg per 100g).

Amaranth, similar to grain crops, contains a fairly high level of iron - up to 8 mg, and its leaves are actively used both fresh and for preparing hot dishes (for example, added to soups), and dried leaves are also used. The grains are used as a seasoning for meat, fish and vegetables.

8. Pistachios (up to 7.5 mg per 100 g of product).

In addition to their high iron content, up to 7.5 mg per 100g, pistachios are also rich in omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids, which further increase the value of the product. They are consumed either dried separately or added to cookies or ice cream.

9. Chanterelles (6.5 mg per 100 g of product).

Fresh chanterelles contain quite a lot of iron - 6.5 mg per 100g of product, and the dried form of iron contains even more. This is how chanterelles differ from other types of mushrooms; for example, champignons supply only 1 mg of a valuable microelement.

10. Chicken eggs (2.7 mg per 100 g of product).

Egg yolk is a good supplier of iron and valuable microelements, essential amino acids, B vitamins. Quail eggs contain slightly more iron and amount to 3.2 mg.

Separately, we can highlight the spices and herbs that we are used to adding while cooking. And since we use a fairly small amount of them for cooking, but if we consider it per 100g of product, the iron content in them is much higher than in all of the above products. The leaders among spices and herbs are:

Cardamom-100 mg per 100g product,

Parsley-97.8 mg per 100g of product,

Green mint - 87.5 mg per 100g product,

Cinnamon-38.1 mg per 100g of product,

Dried nettle - 32.3 mg per 100 g of product.

It must be remembered that in foods of plant origin, iron is in trivalent form, which is poorly absorbed. Therefore, include vitamin C-containing vegetables in your diet, such as peppers, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, potatoes, or take a glass of orange juice with your meal. Vitamin C converts iron into a divalent form, which is normally absorbed by our body.

Lack of energy, lethargy, confusion, bad mood - these symptoms can signal the body that it has an iron deficiency. This happens in adolescence, in pregnant women, and with certain diseases. And it is obvious that the lack of iron needs to be replenished. But how?

This element is involved in providing oxygen to body tissues, which is why it is so important for life. You can drink vitamin complexes, but making up for the lack of this mineral with tasty, healthy and properly prepared food is much more pleasant. Products containing iron are what this article will discuss.

Before you figure out which foods will help fill your body with iron, you should pay attention to what you cannot combine them with. “Anti-iron” foods reduce iron reserves in the body. This does not mean that they are harmful, they just cannot be combined in one meal.

• Coffee and tea. If you drink more than a couple of cups of these drinks a day, you will have to replenish them much more often.
• Milk and dairy products. They are rich in Fe antagonist - calcium. Calcium prevents iron from being absorbed in the digestive tract.
  Therefore, when consuming foods rich in iron, make sure that they contain as little calcium as possible.
• Foods high in phytic acid: legumes, whole grains, soy products, bran, unprocessed seeds and nuts. Unexpectedly, but true: what we are accustomed to consider a healthy diet actually contains an antinutrient that impairs the absorption of minerals, including zinc and iron, by tens of percent.

How to properly adjust their diet for vegans, especially those who consume a lot of foods that contain phytic acid, is the topic of a separate article. But for now we must at least understand that such a problem exists.

If you take additional calcium, you should definitely remember that it can cause iron deficiency. If so, limit Ca.

In search of iron

The adult human body contains about 4 grams of iron in dissolved form. Most of it is in the human blood, the rest is distributed to other organs.

As for children under 6 months, as a rule, they receive all the necessary elements from their mother's milk. But a child from 6 months and 1 year needs iron even more than children from 1 to 2 years. If the norm for the latter is 5 mg per day, then infants need 8-10 mg of this microelement daily.

Attention! Interestingly, on average, only 10 of the iron consumed in food is absorbed in the body. Therefore, you can safely make allowances for this when planning your daily menu.

It will not be possible to create an excess of iron in the body with food rich in this mineral, because the excretion system will simply rid you of its excess. You can only become oversaturated with pharmaceutical complexes and medications; there cannot be “too much” iron in plants and meat.

Where is the most of this mineral: in meat, in vegetables, herbs and fruits, or in seafood? Which iron is more beneficial: “vegetable” or “animal”? For anemia, it is recommended to eat foods that contain large quantities of iron. But what products are these?

Some are convinced that since plant sources contain more iron, they are healthier, while others rightly believe that in meat products this microelement is already built into hemoglobin. This means that in the latter case, its bioavailability for the human body is much higher, and it will not have to expend a lot of effort in order to transform iron into a form convenient for its vital functions. This fact explains why, to eliminate iron deficiency anemia, doctors recommend consuming liver more often, rather than fruits, for example, strawberries, which seem to have twice as much iron.

That is, not everything is so simple, especially considering that the body stores iron in the liver and releases it gradually.

The flow of iron from the liver and food into the blood is regulated by the hormone hepcidin. The higher its level, the less iron enters the bloodstream and vice versa.

So, with hemochromatosis, a genetic disease, there is a low level of hepcidin, and a lot of iron accumulates in the blood, which has a bad effect on the composition of the blood.

In general, it is not easy to understand whether iron is normal and where it is best to get it from, so the next chapter contains a small guide to the iron content in foods and tips on how to replace meat and still continue to get important minerals in sufficient quantities.

What foods contain iron?

What foods to look for iron in? To make it easier to understand the information, we present to your attention a table of products: what iron contains and how much. The table is divided into plant and animal products.

In addition, it is known that:

• In chicken liver - 17.5 mg;
• In pomegranate - 0.3 mg;
• In buckwheat - 2.2 mg;
• In bananas - 0.3 mg;
• In pork - almost 1 mg;
• There is not a lot of iron in fish, only 0.3 mg.

Iron is indicated here in absolute values, but not all iron from iron-containing foods can be absorbed. Part of it is simply utilized during digestion. The following list will help you understand what percentage of iron from foods can be absorbed:

• Meat - 20%
• Fish - 11%
• All beans and grains, except beans - 7%
• Nuts - 6%
• Fresh fruit - 3%
• Beans and corn - 3%
• Chicken yolk - 3%
• Uncooked cereals - 3%
• Boiled cereals, porridges - 1%

Thus, since chicken liver contains approximately 17.5 mg of iron per 100 grams, then a fifth will be absorbed, therefore 3.5 mg. At the same time, from 100 grams of green cilantro, only 1.1 mg of iron is absorbed. Despite the fact that cilantro and liver contain approximately the same amount of microelement, to obtain the same 3.5 mg, you will have to eat three times more cilantro than liver.

It turns out that one of the champions in iron content, cilantro, in practice turns out to be not as effective a product as it seems. That is why replacing food products with others is not the best idea. Vegetables have something that fish does not, and dairy products cannot be replaced by berries. Meat products are very important for replenishing the body's iron reserves, so giving them up is not always justified.

The same is the case with milk - it impairs the absorption of iron in the body. But this does not mean at all that you should give up milk. Dairy products are extremely important for the healthy functioning of the body. Also, vital phosphorus can reduce the absorption of iron from food.

Remember! If you consume iron-containing foods, then their antagonists - foods with large amounts of calcium or phosphorus - should be eaten at least two hours apart.

Delicious recipes to help increase hemoglobin

How to increase hemoglobin without suffering from a lack of “goodies” in the diet? Here's the perfect healthy sweet recipe:

1. Grind walnuts and cranberries in a blender.
2. Take both ingredients in equal parts.
3. Mix the mixture of cranberries and nuts with honey well.

You will get a very tasty honey jam, which is also rich in ascorbic acid. It is known to help iron absorption. Many people add raisins and hazelnuts to the dish.

“Magic salad” is considered invariably useful for combating iron deficiency. It contains finely chopped:

• cabbage;
• fresh beets;
• dandelion leaf.

In addition to iron, beets contain substances that improve digestion. And in addition to dandelion, you can add chervil. Garnish the salad with bell peppers of different colors. The benefits and culinary aesthetics will add color and energy to your life.

Plum works wonders. It helps any iron-containing product to be absorbed several times more efficiently. Add plums to meat dishes and plant foods. Plum is versatile, tasty and mega healthy.

On a note! If you are not sure how to enrich your diet with iron, then discuss ways to correct the situation with a dietitian. It will take into account all the characteristics of your body and help eliminate the problem of iron deficiency or prevent it.

Is there iron in apples? There is an opinion that fans of this fruit do not have problems with anemia. The significance of this fruit in this aspect is somewhat exaggerated. An apple contains no more than 0.12 mg of iron per 100 grams of product. Its absorption occurs at only 3% of the total content. Thus, it is impossible to meet the daily requirement of this mineral with apples. Many people have heard about the method of enriching apples with iron - sticking iron nails into them. We hasten to assure you that this way you can enrich the fruit only with microbes, nothing more.

The next recipe against anemia is buckwheat with chicken liver. Buckwheat contains more than 2 mg of iron. Chicken liver is even more rich in this mineral. With this simple dish you can replenish your daily iron requirement.

1. Boil buckwheat in water, or simply pour boiling water over it overnight.
2. Stew the chicken liver; it will not lose its beneficial properties during heat treatment.
3. When serving a dish, diversify its serving with colorful and healthy vegetables, for example, slices of bell pepper.

The liver should be cooked for no longer than 15 minutes. Salt it after it is ready. This dish can be complemented not only with fresh, but also with stewed vegetables. Steamed broccoli and carrots are very suitable.

Interesting myth! Nutritionists say that in order to quickly return the body from a state of iron deficiency, the best and healthiest way is to consume 100 grams of red meat every 2-3 days.

But what about those people who, along with low iron levels, have high cholesterol and excess weight?
Scientists decided to find out how two types of food affect the increase in iron - fatty and carbohydrate. In search of an answer to this question, Austrian researchers put two groups of mice on an appropriate diet. After 10 weeks, the animals that ate the fat were found to have much lower levels of the mineral in their blood than those that ate the carbohydrates.
So scientists came to the conclusion that high-fat foods increase hepcidin levels and, accordingly, reduce iron levels.

Yes, entrecotes and beef steak contain a lot of iron, but with constant consumption of fatty meat, the absorption of this beneficial substance worsens.

Therefore, the best recipe for meat lovers: feel free to replace the beef with lean turkey. Theoretically, there is less iron in turkey meat, but it is absorbed better. And without extra fat!

Treat yourself to fresh carrots

If you don’t have a problem with iron deficiency, but you want your health to remain at the highest level all day, then train yourself to prepare fresh vegetable or berry juice every morning. The secret is that juices contain many substances that improve the bioavailability of iron from food, and they themselves are partially involved in replenishing the reserves of this mineral.

Pamper your body with carrot juice. For one glass of juice you will need 600 grams of carrots. Store-bought carrots, especially limp or old ones, are not suitable. Only fresh and homemade! It can be bought from summer residents or private farmers.

• Pass the carrots through a juicer;
• Add a splash of lime juice and honey to taste.

Some people add a spoonful of cognac to the composition. However, children should not be given alcohol-containing products without a doctor's recommendation.

You should drink this juice for a month, and then take a month off. Reviews from those who have used it say that the recipe is miraculous and raises hemoglobin very quickly. It is very useful to make fresh strawberries or wild strawberries. Pomegranate juice is also famous for its antianemic properties. Pomegranate juice contains the same amount of iron as strawberry juice.

Take note! After eating an iron-rich meal, avoid tea, coffee, red wine and cola drinks for at least 2 hours.

Video on the topic

Human health largely depends on the ratio of microelements that enter the body with food. They are also called “metals of life.” Iron occupies a special place among these substances. It is interesting that men have more of this iron: on average, their blood cells contain about 2 g of iron, while women have about 1.6 g. What follows from this, except that women and men are different in everything, even in “ body chemistry"? A simple practical conclusion: men should consume less iron than women - 8-15 mg of this element per day. Women, due to regular blood loss, need twice the daily dose of iron. But both of them should know which foods contain iron.

Why does a person need iron?

Iron is responsible for several important functions in our body. The list above does not exhaust them, but they top it in importance.

Saturation of cells with oxygen. All cells in our body require a continuous supply of oxygen. In the blood, this is done by red blood cells. They contain a special protein - hemoglobin, which contains iron.

Energy production. Almost all cells in the human body burn calories to produce energy. Iron is also involved in this process. If there is a lack of it, disruptions occur in the process, which are accompanied by muscle weakness and a state of general fatigue.

Participation in the functioning of the body's immune system. This trace element promotes the formation of immune cells, whose main task is to protect the body.

Products containing iron. How to use it correctly?

Animal or plant food?

There are many excellent sources of iron among plant foods. A serving of some of them can provide more than 10% and even a third of the daily need for this microelement (soybeans can do this by 40%!). Plus, dishes made from plant products are usually lower in calories than meat ones.

The best suppliers of iron from plant foods are legumes (soybeans, beans, peas), as well as leafy green vegetables. Certain spices (thyme, sesame), dishes made from wheat bran, whole grain flour, buckwheat, wheat groats, oatmeal and dried fruits also contain it in sufficient quantities. However…

Meat contains the most iron!

Firstly, there is a higher concentration of iron in animal products. For example, a serving of lamb, beef or sardines contains up to 2 mg of this element, and rabbit, turkey, beef and pork liver - approximately 3 mg. Significant amounts of iron can be obtained from fish and egg yolks.

Secondly, iron in meat is absorbed better. And in order to increase the percentage of absorption of this microelement from plant products by the body, you should diversify your table with dishes with a high content of vitamin C and B vitamins. In other words, eat an apple with your steak and pour orange sauce on your salmon steak.

Thirdly, “meat” iron is quite resistant to heat treatment, as opposed to vegetable. Whole grains, for example, can lose about 75% of the element from their composition during flour production.

It is also worth noting that some of the iron can “leave” into the water in which food is cooked. Thus, spinach leaves boiled for three minutes lose almost 90% of it. To minimize such losses, it is advisable to reduce the cooking time of plant foods and use less water.

Surprisingly, cast iron cookware can, on the contrary, “add” iron to food. We are talking about a very tiny amount. However, the healing effect of using cast iron pans has been proven by scientific research.

However, it should be borne in mind that this issue is even more complex than we think. Recent studies show that eating celery for several weeks helps restore iron balance as well as, or even better than, meat.

REMINDER: WHAT FOODS CONTAIN IRON?

There is a lot of iron in animal products, especially those with blood: well-cooked pieces of meat, fried or boiled from very fresh beef, offal, fish and seafood (especially shrimp), poultry (especially white chicken).

In foods of plant origin, the most iron is found in green vegetables and legumes: soybeans, lentils, spinach, etc., tofu, sesame seeds, chickpeas, beans, olives, chard and beets, tomatoes and baked potatoes with skin, pumpkin and onions , dried mushrooms. There is a lot of iron in buckwheat porridge, fruits and berries: apples, plums, bananas, pomegranates, pears, peaches, persimmons, black currants, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, dried fruits.

Risk of iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms of iron deficiency

Children are also at risk of developing iron deficiency, especially for children under 2 years of age and adolescents during periods of active growth.

Endurance exercise can lead to a loss of 50% of iron stores if care is not taken to replenish this element in the body daily. And some gastrointestinal problems (for example, gastritis) do not allow it to be absorbed properly.

Iron levels decrease during blood loss, in young children and during active growth, during strength training and gastrointestinal diseases.

Symptoms of iron deficiency:

• Tiredness, shortness of breath, interruptions in heart function, headaches and dizziness (even fainting), irritability, absent-mindedness syndrome, increased sensitivity to cold.
• Decreased appetite, nausea, loose stools. With progressive anemia, perverted appetite and sense of smell are observed.
• Menstrual irregularities, especially in teenage girls.
• Decreased immunity.
• Cracks on the lips and tongue, brittle nails.

Compatibility with other nutrients

Vitamin C

Consuming vitamin C in combination with iron-containing foods optimizes the absorption of the microelement by the body. Just 50 mg of this vitamin, taken from half a grapefruit, for example, can triple iron absorption. Note that this effect applies more to the “plant” than to the “meat” metal of life.

Vitamin A

A lack of vitamin A can negatively affect the formation of hemoglobin, but this deficiency must be truly significant.

Copper

Copper helps mobilize iron reserves in the body for their further work in blood cells and more. Legumes are rich in both iron and copper. Therefore, dishes made from them are best suited for quickly replenishing the reserves of these elements in the body.

Calcium

Calcium and iron compete for absorption in the intestine. Therefore, with low hemoglobin, buckwheat cooked not with milk, but with water, is preferable. And without sugar (it is also a ferrum blocker).
A sufficient amount of folic acid is especially important for the absorption of iron by pregnant women.

Some foods slow down the absorption of iron in the stomach and intestines. For example, if it is deficient, you should not drink black tea and coffee after meals.

Excess iron in the human body

An excess of an element leads to no less complex consequences than its deficiency. When oversaturated with it, the skin acquires a jaundiced tint, heart function is disrupted (arrhythmias), the liver enlarges, people feel a loss of strength, dizziness, and skin pigmentation is observed.

It is very rare that excess iron enters the human body through food, since the body itself regulates the intensity of its absorption. But special nutritional supplements and some medications can easily cause its excess. Therefore, they should absolutely not be used unless absolutely necessary and without the consent of a doctor.

The cause of excess iron may be a hereditary predisposition to excess accumulation. This is a fairly common disease, although it is difficult to diagnose. Such people should reduce the amount of foods high in iron in their diet.

Normal functioning of the body, including metabolic processes, is impossible without such a useful and important chemical element as iron, present in hemoglobin. It is this that allows you to quickly fill every cell of our body with oxygen and deliver it to all internal organs. A sufficient amount of iron reduces the likelihood of stress and depression and strengthens the immune system. Fe deficiency leads to anemia and other health problems. It is possible to get the daily amount of this element we need through food, but to do this we need to know, for example, which fruit contains the most iron, whether it is found in vegetables and other foods.

What types of iron are there?

Iron can be divided into two types: heme and non-heme. The first refers to a chemical element found in animal food sources. Meat, fish and chicken are prime examples of this. In the second case, iron is assumed to be contained in vegetables and fruits loved by many people.

The difference between the first and second lies in the degree of digestibility of such an important and necessary element for our life as Fe. For comparison: when consuming products containing heme, approximately 15-35% is beneficial, and from non-heme products - 2-20%.

What meat products contain iron?

In order to independently understand the right food, you need to choose the appropriate provisions. Here are some examples (the list is left for your convenience):

• veal liver (100 g of such meat contains 14 mg Fe);
• pork liver (100 g contains 12 mg of iron);
• chicken liver (100 g - 8.6 mg);
• beef liver (100 g - 5.7 mg);
• beef meat (3.2 mg.);
• lamb meat (2.3 mg);
• turkey meat (1.8 mg);
• pork meat (1.5 mg).

It is noteworthy that the darker the meat, the greater the percentage of iron it contains. So, dark chicken fillet will contain 1.4 mg of Fe, and light chicken fillet will contain only 1 mg. Do you feel the difference?

Is there iron in seafood?

Many iron-containing elements are present in seafood and fish. In particular, a huge amount of the chemical element is present in shellfish. In second place in Fe reserves are mussels with their 6.8 mg, in third place are oysters (5.7 mg), in fourth place are sardines in a metal can (up to 2.9 mg), in fifth place are shrimps and small crustaceans - 1 .7 mg, and on the sixth - canned tuna - 1.4 mg. A small percentage of iron is present in well-salted herring, mackerel, and other types of fish.

Table: iron content in food

In addition to seafood and meat, eggs also contain iron. The total amount of element in them is approximately 2.5 mg. This chemical element is present in most nuts. For example, shelled pistachios contain at least 4.8 mg.

Hazelnuts contain up to 3.2 mg, raw peanuts - 4.6 mg, almonds contain slightly less - 4.2 mg, and cashews and walnut kernels - 3.8 and 3.6 mg, respectively. Pine nuts do not boast a high iron content. They contain only 3 mg. All this is available to everyone. We will tell you further which products contain the most Fe.

There is Fe in pumpkin seeds (14 mg) and sunflower seeds (6.8 mg). And sesame contains 14.6 mg. The presence of iron was also found in pharmaceutical hematogen - 4 mg. This is a delicious disc with slices that tastes like toffee. An anemia-relieving element is also found in the following products:

• cheese (Swiss contains 19 mg);
• milk (0.1 mg);
• sausages and sausages (1.9-1.7 mg);
• fish caviar (1.8 mg);
• pasta and baked goods (1.2-3.9 mg);
• honey (1.1 mg);
• porcini mushrooms (35 mg);
• cottage cheese (0.4 mg);
• buckwheat porridge (8.3 mg);
• brewer's yeast (18.1 mg);
• cocoa (12.5 mg);
• butter (0.1 mg);
• flour, etc.

Here is an approximate table (iron content in food):

Molasses is considered very rich in the content of this chemical element (up to 21.5 mg). The record amount of the element is found in seaweed (16 mg).

What fruits and berries contain iron?

As you can see, answering the question of which fruit has the most iron, you can safely choose fresh and juicy peaches. In addition, it is useful to eat not only fresh fruits, but also drink juices, compotes and fruit drinks made from them. Thus, one glass of this thick and sour drink is considered to be the most representative among its fellows. It will deliver at least 2.9 mg of iron to your body. Pomegranate juice contains slightly less Fe - 0.1 mg.

Which dried fruits have iron?

When wondering which fruit has the most iron, don’t forget about dried fruits. For example, 4.7 mg of this element is found in dried apricots, 0.4 in figs, white raisins - 3.8 mg, dried apples - 15 mg, pears and prunes - 13 mg. Consequently, the record holder for the amount of Fe is dried apples.

Legumes and iron

The leaders in terms of huge amounts of iron are undoubtedly legumes. For example, the approximate content of a chemical element in boiled green peas is 6.8 mg, and in fresh peas it is 7 mg. Up to 5.5-5.9 mg of Fe can be found in beans and legumes. The record holder among legumes is lentils, containing up to 11.8 mg of the element.

What vegetables contain iron?

Don't know which fruits or vegetables have more iron? We will help you figure it out. If we are talking about vegetables, then it is worth paying attention to their leafy species, which have a characteristic dark green growth. Such plants include the following vegetables:

• spinach (contains 3.6 mg iron);
• cauliflower (up to 1.4 mg);
• Chinese and Brussels sprouts (contains 1.3 mg);
• chard (3.1 mg);
• broccoli (1.2 mg);
• parsley (5.8 mg);
• celery (1.3 mg);
• turnip tops (1.1 mg).

Interestingly, sauerkraut also contains up to 1.7 mg of iron. This necessary chemical element is also found in fried potatoes (1.2 mg). But if you cook it, the Fe content will decrease and amount to 0.8 mg. Among leafy vegetables, parsley is the leader, and among other representatives of this family is sauerkraut.

Where is the most iron?

Beans are in first place in terms of the amount of iron. Some types may contain up to 71 mg. In second place are hazelnuts and halva (51 and 50.1 mg). In third place are oatmeal (45 mg). In fourth place is cheese made from skim milk (37 mg). Fifth - fresh mushrooms (35 mg). In sixth place is wheat cereal (31 mg). In seventh place is pork liver (29.7 mg).

Now you know which fruit has the most iron. We have also listed vegetables and other foods that contain this essential and essential element.

For the normal functioning of all systems of the human body, many different substances are needed: proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins. Metals consumed with food are also essential elements. One of the central places in this list is occupied by iron, which is necessary for many biochemical processes in internal organs.

The daily intake of this microelement is different for men and women. Therefore, foods containing iron should be present in larger quantities in the diet of the fairer sex. Especially during pregnancy.

Let's look at these questions in more detail.

The need for iron in the body

The natural element in question, as already mentioned, performs many different functions in the body. It is even more necessary for pregnant women, as it is one of the factors influencing the normal development of the fetus.

The list of the most important tasks performed by hardware looks like this:

• Transporting oxygen from the lungs to internal organs and tissues. For this purpose, nature created red blood cells - erythrocytes, which are found in the blood plasma. It is in them that there is a special protein compound - hemoglobin, which enters into a temporary reaction with oxygen and delivers it to the right places in the body.
• Energy supply for the body. During their life, all cellular structures consume a lot of calories. During pregnancy, women's energy expenditure increases by an order of magnitude. And iron is precisely one of the elements of a biochemical reaction that releases energy. If you do not consume iron-containing foods, disruptions may occur in the process. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the form of rapid fatigue and weakness in the muscles.
• Maintaining the functioning of the human immune system. It is the metal in question that forms cells that fight unfavorable environmental conditions. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the required hemoglobin level during pregnancy. After all, pathologies that affect the mother’s body can negatively affect the unborn child.

Maintaining the required amount of micronutrients

What foods contain iron? Fruits, vegetables and other plants can be a good source of this metal. Some of them provide up to 30-40% of a person’s daily needs. Another advantage of plant foods, especially for pregnant women, is its low calorie content.

The largest amount of iron is found in various legumes:

• beans;
• peas.

In addition to the above plants, you can eat fruits and greens to increase the concentration of the mentioned metal.

If you need to replenish iron deficiency as quickly as possible, as often happens with anemia during pregnancy, you need to include many of the following foods in your diet:

• thyme;
• whole grain flour;
• bran;
• buckwheat;
• dried fruits;
• oatmeal.

But, despite the fact that iron-containing plant substances are quite often found in nature, most of this element can be obtained by eating meat.

This is due to the following reasons.

• The concentration of iron in animal products is higher than in vegetables and fruits. For example, a regular serving of lamb, beef or sardine fillet increases the mineral content in the body by 2 mg, and rabbit and turkey - by 3. Calf or pig liver increases hemoglobin very well. Therefore, these products are recommended for women during pregnancy.
• Microelements from animal products are absorbed more efficiently in the gastrointestinal tract. Many nutritionists indicate that for normal breakdown of meat, fruits and vegetables, they should be consumed in combination with vitamin C and folic acid. By the way, this is why meat is sometimes served with fruit, and fish with lemon.
• The iron found in meat is retained even after thermal exposure during the cooking process. In contrast, wheat grains lose about ¾ of their beneficial elements when ground into flour. The diet of pregnant women must include meat to maintain normal hemoglobin levels.

When drawing up a diet, the purpose of which is to increase the level of iron in the blood, especially during pregnancy, special attention should be paid to the culinary processing of products, since most of the beneficial microelements can dissolve in water when boiled. For example, keeping spinach in boiling water for 2-3 minutes leads to the fact that this green loses 95% of its beneficial properties. Therefore, experienced chefs reduce the cooking time and also try to avoid using large amounts of water.

By the way, research in this area has established one rather interesting fact. The use of certain cookware (cast iron pans), on the contrary, can add iron to the finished dish. Naturally, we are talking about a rather insignificant amount, however, this effect is officially documented and has been repeatedly proven during scientific experiments.

Dietetics is a science that is constantly evolving. And every day brings discoveries that no one had even suspected before. For example, recently there has been an increasing question about the significant role of celery, which can be used to raise iron levels in the blood, especially in women during pregnancy. Some scientists say that this plant is more effective than meat.

List of foods containing iron

In order to better understand which foods contain iron, they are listed below in table form.

Iron deficiency

A low concentration of the microelement in question in the blood can occur in several cases:

• with an unbalanced diet, when the diet does not have enough necessary products (often this condition is diagnosed during pregnancy).
• with severe blood loss resulting from injuries or operations, as well as in women during monthly menstrual bleeding.
• with increased growth of the child’s body, especially at the age of less than 2 years and during puberty.

Taking care of replenishing iron reserves in the body is also necessary for people who play sports professionally or experience constant physical activity associated with professional activities.

The risk group includes people who suffer from pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, which do not allow the food, vitamins and microelements they consume to be properly absorbed.

A lack of iron in the body can be detected due to the following external signs:

• constant fatigue, shortness of breath, irregular heart rhythm, dizziness, lightheadedness, irritability, increased sensitivity to negative ambient temperatures;
• decreased appetite, diarrhea, nausea, changes in gastronomic preferences, impaired sense of smell;
• failures in the onset of menstruation (this clinical picture is often observed in girls during puberty);
• deterioration of the immune system;
• the appearance of cracks in the skin, increased fragility of teeth and nails.

This condition is especially dangerous for pregnant women. In some cases, doctors prescribe iron-containing medications to quickly increase the concentration of the necessary element in the body of the expectant mother.

Excess iron

It should be noted that too much of the metal in question can lead to no less negative consequences than its deficiency. The increased iron content is eloquently evidenced by a yellowish tint of the skin and the appearance of arrhythmia. In addition, the size of the liver increases, the person experiences increased fatigue and dizziness.

This condition is rarely caused by eating excessive amounts of iron-containing foods. This can only be caused by taking medications, so you should not take any supplements without consulting your doctor, especially if you are pregnant.