ANEMIA PATIENTS:

Leafy greens

• Leafy greens, especially dark ones, are among the best sources of nonheme iron. They include:
• spinach
• kale
• collard greens
• dandelion greens
• Swiss chard
• Some leafy greens such as Swiss chard and collard greens also contain folate. A diet low in folate may cause folate deficiency anemia. Citrus fruits, beans, and whole grains are good sources of folate.
• When eating dark, leafy greens for iron, there’s a catch. Some greens high in iron, such as spinach and kale, are also high in oxalates. Oxalates can bind with iron, preventing the absorption of nonheme iron.

Meat and poultry

• All meat and poultry contain heme iron. Red meat, lamb, and venison are the best sources. Poultry and chicken have lower amounts.
• Eating meat or poultry with nonheme iron foods, such as leafy greens, along with a vitamin C-rich fruit can increase iron absorption.

Liver

• Many people shy away from organ meats, but they’re a great source of iron.
• Liver is arguably the most popular organ meat. It’s rich in iron and folate. Some other iron-rich organ meats are heart, kidney, and beef tongue.

Seafood

• Some seafood provides heme iron. Shellfish such as oysters, clams, scallops, crabs, and shrimp are good sources. Most fish contain iron.

Fish with the best levels of iron include:

• canned or fresh tuna
• mackerel
• mahi mahi
• pompano
• fresh perch
• fresh or canned salmon
• Shop for canned tuna online.
• Although canned sardines are good sources of iron, they’re also high in calcium.
• Calcium may bind with iron and reduces its absorption. Foods high in calcium shouldn’t be eaten at the same time as iron-rich foods.

Other examples of calcium-rich foods include:

• dairy milk
• fortified plant milks
• yogurt
• kefir
• cheese
• tofu

Fortified foods

• Many foods are fortified with iron. Add these foods to your diet if you’re a vegetarian or struggle to eat other sources of iron:
• fortified orange juice
• fortified ready-to-eat cereals
• foods made from fortified refined flour such as white bread
• fortified pasta
• foods made from fortified cornmeal
• fortified white rice

Beans

• Beans are good sources of iron for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. They’re also inexpensive and versatile.

Some iron-rich options are:

• kidney beans
• chickpeas
• soybeans
• black-eyed peas
• pinto beans
• black beans
• peas
• lima beans
• Shop for canned beans.

Nuts and seeds

• Many types of nuts and seeds are good sources of iron. They taste great on their own or sprinkled on salads or yogurt.

Some nuts and seeds that contain iron are:

• pumpkin seeds
• cashews
• pistachios
• hemp seeds
• pine nuts
• sunflower seeds
• Find raw pumpkin seeds, raw cashews, and raw pine nuts online.
• Both raw and roasted nuts have similar amounts of iron.
• Almonds are also a good source of iron. They’re great as part of a healthy eating plan, but since they’re also high in calcium, they may not increase your iron levels that much.