Having well-balanced meals allows you to get all the vitamins and minerals you need for optimum health. Otherwise, you may end up with a problem related to nutritional deficiencies. One example of such is iron-deficiency anemia. Luckily, there are plenty of foods that supply your body with the right amounts of iron.
You may think that it is a wonderful idea to simply purchase a bottle of iron supplements to ensure that you are getting lots of iron to ward off anemia that is caused by a deficiency in the said mineral. Provided that it is taken in the right amounts, supplementing with iron should not pose any problem.
It is a completely different story, however, if you mistakenly take more iron supplements than necessary. Just like with any other thing, too much iron in the body is bad. Did you know that lots of iron can poison you and most especially children? Accidents do happen, and having kids and a bottle of iron supplements at home can be risky.
There are some instances wherein a doctor may recommend an individual to take iron supplements. For instance, a pregnant woman may be advised to supplement with iron. It is very much likely for someone who is suffering from iron-deficiency anemia to be recommended to take iron supplements to have the problem reversed.
But if your doctor just gave you a clean bill of health, chances are you don’t really need to get your hands on a bottle of iron supplements. After all, keeping at bay health problems related to deficiency in iron is rather easy. How? By including iron-rich foods in your diet! Some of the top food sources of iron include:
Red Meat
There is no denying that red meat is the top food source of iron. You can ward off iron-deficiency anemia by consuming the likes of beef, pork and lamb. But do keep your intake of red meat to a minimum. Also, opt for lean cuts to ward off consumption of excessive amounts of fat and cholesterol.
Chicken Liver
Another excellent animal source of iron is chicken liver. Again, consider limiting your intake of this food product because it is rich in bad cholesterol that can clog up your arteries and increase your blood pressure.
Sea Foods
There are plenty of sea foods out there that supply your body with phenomenal amounts of iron. Cuttlefish are known to pack staggering amounts of iron. The same is true for mussels, clams and scallops. Oysters are definitely rich in iron, plus a lot of people swear that they are very good aphrodisiacs!
Nuts and Seeds
If you’re a vegan, fret not because there are loads of non-animal food sources of iron. Seeds provide your body with good amounts of iron. Some wonderful examples are squash, sesame and sunflower seeds. Plenty of nuts serve as iron sources, such as cashews, pine nuts, almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts.
Legumes
Other than being rich in protein, lots of legumes are also excellent sources of iron. Beans, for instance, yield much of your body’s daily requirement of iron. Make sure that your regular diet includes the likes of black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans to stave off health problems related to iron deficiency.
Whole Grains
It’s not just dietary fiber that whole grains provide, but also iron. Oatmeal, bulgur, rice, barley, millet, buckwheat — all of these have iron. The same is true with breakfast cereals fortified with the said mineral.
Dark Leafy Green Vegetables
Vegans, rejoice! That’s because there are so many iron-rich dark green leafy veggies to choose from. Leading the pack is spinach. You can also get good amounts of iron from Swiss chards. Kale, turnip greens and beet greens are also known to supply the body with plenty of iron.
Dark Chocolate
We all know that dark chocolate that is made of at least 70% cocoa offers numerous health benefits. Well, since this lavish treat also contains iron, its regular consumption is not only good for your senses, but also overall well-being.
