What are the best vegan iron sources?

What are some high-iron vegan foods for my plant-based diet? How do you make sure you’re getting enough iron-rich vegan foods every day? So what about vegan iron supplements? I’m answering your top question about the best vegan iron sources.

One of the biggest concerns for people who eat a primarily plant-based or vegan diet is the mineral iron. I get a lot of questions about this important mineral, and many people who focus on plant-based living struggle to meet their iron needs. While it’s entirely possible (and common) to eat a healthy plant-based diet to meet your iron needs (I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years), it’s important to make sure you balance your meals to include iron – and it’s important to Rich.

Why is iron so important?

Iron is an essential mineral that is critical for red blood cell function. Iron is found in the hemoglobin of red blood cells and plays a key role in immune function, DNA synthesis, and oxygen transport.according to School of Nutrition and Dietetics, our bodies need iron to get the energy they need to function. Some symptoms associated with iron deficiency include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and headaches.1 People who are more likely to have low iron levels include women ages 19 to 50 and pregnant women. Iron is also crucial for healthy brain development in children. There are two types of iron present in food: heme and non-heme. Heme iron comes from animals and is more easily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron from plants. Some plant sources of iron include dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fortified cereals. You can increase iron absorption by eating iron-rich foods and foods that contain vitamin C, such as bell peppers, strawberries, kiwis, oranges, limes and lemons.1

Are vegetarians at risk of iron deficiency?

So, the question remains, are vegetarians more likely to be iron deficient? study Research shows that iron deficiency is no more common in vegans than in non-vegans.2 However, one study found that low iron levels were more common in vegetarian women than in vegetarian men due to their menstrual cycles.3 While this may mean that vegetarian women are at the highest risk for iron deficiency, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get enough iron. Low iron status is not a problem if you eat a balanced diet containing iron-rich foods. Therefore, the important thing is not whether to eat meat or not, but to pay attention to the food you choose every day. The good news is that the best sources of iron in a plant-based diet are the foods you should be eating every day: dark green leafy vegetables, citrus, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Plant iron bioavailability

Although it is easy to obtain enough plant iron, study Research shows that the reason some vegetarians are more likely to be iron deficient is that the non-heme iron found in plant foods is less bioavailable than the heme iron found in animal products.3 Bioavailability is related to nutrient absorption in the body. Plant-based foods often have lower absorption rates because compounds found in the plants interfere with absorption. Certain plant foods containing phytates, calcium, and polyphenols can interfere with iron absorption. NOTE: Many of these compounds, like fiber and polyphenols, are good for you too! Therefore, the Institute of Medicine recommends that vegetarians and vegans consume twice as much iron as non-vegetarians.3

Remember, you can increase iron’s bioavailability by consuming it with vitamin C-rich produce (a common practice in a healthy plant-based diet), as well as by soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and cooking foods. You can also increase your iron intake by cooking with cast iron cookware – learn more.

Plant iron can be better

Here are some things to remember. Is too much heme iron harmful? Taking too much iron from food or supplements can be dangerous because high doses can cause constipation, nausea, stomach upset, and vomiting.4 If extremely high doses are ingested, more serious life-threatening effects may occur, such as convulsions, organ failure, coma, and possibly death.4 When your body absorbs too much iron, the excess iron may be stored in certain parts of the body, causing disease, heart disease, and diabetes; this is called hemochromatosis.5 Iron excess in the body may occur as a result of consuming too much heme iron. Because highly absorbable heme iron comes from animals, recent science has linked it to a higher risk of chronic disease. It seems that lower bioavailability may actually be protective for iron!

Vegan Iron Supplements

You can do everything right — balance your plate with iron-rich foods — but still struggle to keep your iron levels (measured by hemoglobin in a blood test) within a healthy range. Or, you may have higher iron needs due to conditions such as pregnancy or diagnosis. In these cases, taking a vegan iron supplement may be helpful. When choosing the best vegan iron supplement, make sure it provides no more than 100% of the RDA and look for reputable brands that have third-party reviews of their products.One of the brands with positive reviews ConsumerLab.com yes Life Extension Ferritin Plus. Learn more about my vegan dietary supplement recommendations here.

Six tips for meeting your iron needs

1. Include Whole grains, legumes, green leafy vegetables, tofuand fortified grains in your daily diet.
2. Enhance iron absorption by soaking, sprouting, fermenting and cooking legumes, grains and seeds.
3. Add foods containing vitamin C with an iron source to promote absorption. Try broccoli, citrus, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes and Brussels sprouts.
4. When eating iron-rich foods, reduce your intake of tea, coffee, and cocoa (which contain phytates, calcium, and polyphenols) to reduce inhibition of iron absorption.
5. Eat a balanced diet throughout the day, including plenty of iron-rich foods (see below).
6. If you do eat animal foods, reduce your intake of high-heme iron sources (red meat).

Plant-Based Iron Food Sources	portion size	Iron (mg)
Breakfast cereal, iron fortified	1 cup	18*
bran flakes	3/4 cup	8
oats, cooked	1 cup	7
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	7
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	6
Bread, whole wheat	1	6
dark chocolate	1.5 oz	5
sun dried tomatoes	1 cup	5
Chickpeas, cooked	1 cup	5
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	5
Tempeh	1 cup	5
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	4
navy beans, cooked	1 cup	4
Swiss chard, cooked	1 cup	4
Kidney beans, cooked	1 cup	4
Dried peaches	½ cup	3
tahini	2 tablespoons	3
peas, cooked	1 cup	3
prune juice	1 cup	3
Quinoa, cooked	1 cup	3
Tofu, hard	½ cup	3
ketchup	¼ cup	2
pumpkin seeds	1 oz	2
Barley, cooked	1 cup	2
cabbage, cooked	1 cup	2
raisin	½ cup	2
cashew nuts, raw	1 oz	2
potato	1 medium	2
wheat germ	¼ cup	2
pine nuts	1 oz	2
vegetable soup	1 cup	2*
Veggie Burger	1 patty	2*
sunflower seeds	¼ cup	2
butternut squash	1 cup, cubed	1
molasses	1 tablespoon	1
Pistachios, dry roasted	1 oz	1
Source: USDA; *Nutrient contents may vary by product

For more information on planning a balanced plant-based diet, check out these great blogs:

refer to

1. https://www.eatright.org/food/vitamins-and-supplements/types-of-vitamins-and- Nutritions/iron
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6367879/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723975/
4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/
5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemochromatosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351443

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