Tips for Vegetarians

Tips for Vegetarians
How to Get Enough Iron From Your Diet
by Briana Galiardo, BS, RDN, CDN

If you are a vegetarian or considering cutting out animal meat from your diet, you want to make sure you are getting (and absorbing) enough iron in your diet. Our bodies need iron to make the protein called hemoglobin. Without hemoglobin your red blood cells can’t carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. A diet low in iron is one of the common causes of iron deficiency anemia, and a diet of iron-rich foods is one of the best treatments.

There are 2 Types of Iron: Non-Heme Iron vs. Heme Iron. What is the difference?

Non-Heme Iron: This is the iron found in plant-based foods (deep leafy greens are an example). However, keep in mind that it isn’t as readily absorbed as Heme Iron. Only 2% to 20% of the iron in plants is able to be absorbed.

Heme-Iron: This is the iron found in animal meat (red meat, chicken, etc.). This type of iron is much more readily absorbed in our bodies: About 15% to 35% of the iron in animal foods is absorbed in our bodies.

So what about Vegetarians?

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to this problem: VITAMIN C! Just add some vitamin C to your meal. It boosts the amount of non-heme iron your body absorbs by as much as 6 times the usual amount. Listed below are six Non-Heme (plant) foods that have been paired with a Vitamin C rich food. Remember, you can mix and match any of these staple foods in order to help provide your body with the right amount of iron it needs.

Here are some ideas:

Spinach (non-heme iron) + red bell peppers (Vitamin C) Ideas: spinach salad with peppers, stuffed bell pepper, sautéed spinach with chopped peppers.

Broccoli (non-heme iron) + tomatoes (Vitamin C) Ideas: Omelet with broccoli and tomatoes, whole wheat pasta dish with fresh broccoli/tomatoes sautéed with garlic and olive oil.

Black beans (non-heme iron) + cabbage (Vitamin C) Ideas: Try black bean tacos/burritos topped with coleslaw.

Kale (non-heme iron) + oranges (Vitamin C) Ideas: Kale salad with orange wedges or sautéed kale with a splash of orange juice

Lentils (non-heme iron) + Brussels sprouts (Vitamin C) Ideas: Raw Brussels sprout salad with cooked lentils or roast Brussels sprouts and put on top of cooked lentils.

Dark chocolate (non-heme iron) + strawberries (Vitamin C) Ideas: Dark chocolate dipped strawberries!

Additional Tips:

1) Cook with iron: Using iron cookware transfers some of the iron into your food, boosting your intake. So grab that cast iron pan and start cooking!

2) Avoid foods that interfere with iron absorption: Tannins (found in tea and coffee) and calcium both interfere with iron absorption. So if you’re trying to build your body’s iron stores, try to avoid drinking tea and coffee, and taking calcium supplements before an iron-rich meal.