Pump Up Iron in Your Plant-Based Diet!
By Danika Newlin, Guest Blogger
Did you know that 40% of vegans have an iron deficiency? (1). Untreated iron deficiency can lead to anemia, a condition where your blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Some symptoms of anemia include fatigue, dizziness, pale skin, headaches and muscle cramps (2).
People who are following a plant-based diet are more at risk for iron deficiency anemia. This is because the foods that have the highest and most absorbable forms of iron are animal products. Plant-based foods contain iron that is harder to absorb. Other groups that are at risk of anemia are infants, children, adolescent girls, and women ages 19-50. If you are a part of any of these groups and are also limiting your animal products, then you are especially at risk. The RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for adults is 8 mg/day, except for women 19-50, which is 18mg/day (3).
So which plant-based foods are highest in iron? These include:
- Soy/Tofu/Tempeh (1 cup = 5-13 mg iron)
- Beans, Lentils, and Peas (1 cup = 2-10 mg iron)
- Dark leafy greens: spinach, collards, mustard greens (1 cup cooked = 2-6 mg iron)
- Potato (1 whole = 2 mg iron)
- Food fortified with iron such as grains and cereals (1 cup = 5-20 mg iron)
- Nuts and seeds (¼ cup = 1-2 mg iron)
- Dried fruit (½ cup = 2-3 mg iron)
Dark chocolate (2 oz = 5 mg iron)
While eating iron rich food, a useful tip is to eat it with a source of vitamin C which helps your body absorb iron better (4). It is found in almost all fruits and vegetables, and it is high in guavas, melons, citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes), berries, tomatoes, kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli and Brussel sprouts.
Additionally, a last tip is to avoid high calcium foods while eating iron. This is because it does the opposite of vitamin C, it prevents your body from absorbing iron (5). High calcium foods include dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt.
All these tips for pumping up iron in your plant-based diet, may seem complicated but it can be boiled down to simply: When you eat iron rich foods, add a fruit or vegetable and avoid dairy. Struggling with ideas for iron rich dishes? Try making some of these at home! (6).
- 1 cup iron fortified oatmeal made with water and ½ cup blueberries (contains 6 mg iron)
- 1 cup cooked spinach with citrus squeezed on top (contains 6 mg iron)
- 1 baked potato with 1 cup of cooked broccoli (contains 3 mg iron)
- 1 cup baked tofu with ½ cup tomato-based sauce (contains 12 mg iron)
- 1 cup black bean soup with ½ cup cooked bell pepper (contains 4 mg iron)
Additionally, here are some iron rich snacks to try!
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter with apple slices (contains 1 mg iron)
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds/pepitas (contains 5 mg iron)
- ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries (contains 1 mg iron)
- ½ cup edamame (contains 2 mg iron)
- 2 1 oz pieces of dark chocolate (contains 5 mg iron)
If you are following or thinking about following a plant-based diet, then try these strategies for pumping up the iron in your meals! If you are having difficulty getting enough iron or think you may be deficient, speak with your healthcare provider or local dietitian for advice!
- Waldmann A, Koschizke JW, Leitzmann C, Hahn A. German vegan study: diet, life-style factors, and cardiovascular risk profile. Ann Nutr Metab. 2005;49:366–72
- Clark SF. Iron deficiency anemia. Nutr Clin Pract. 2008;23(2):128-141. doi:10.1177/0884533608314536
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
- Lane DJR, Richardson DR. The active role of vitamin C in mammalian iron metabolism: Much more than just enhanced iron absorption! Free Radic Biol Med. 2014;75:69-83. doi:10.1016/J.FREERADBIOMED.2014.07.007
- L̦nnerdal B. Calcium and iron absorption РMechanisms and public health relevance. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2010;80(4-5):293-299. doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000036
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019.
Hello! My name is Danika Newlin and I am an OHSU dietetic intern who is training to be a registered dietitian. I am a strong believer in individualized nutrition recommendations and that we shouldn’t have to give up our favorite meals and cultural food traditions to live a healthy lifestyle. My favorite things to do are cooking, baking, running, and listening to podcasts!
