10 Easy Ways to Add Iron to Your Diet

Iron deficiency is the most common form of nutritional deficiency – especially among children and pregnant women – according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.  Not getting enough can cause iron deficiency anemia and make you more susceptible to illness and infections; it can even cause premature delivery in pregnant women. So how much should you be getting? Women ages 19 to 50 should be consuming 18 milligrams of iron per day – and a whopping 27 milligrams if they’re pregnant – while men at this age only need 8 milligrams. “There are two types of iron: Heme iron from animal sources and non-heme iron from plant sources,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, and New York Times bestselling author. “It’s important to get both types from your diet.

There are some amazing sources of iron to add to your diet. Here are some ideas that don’t take too much thought and there’s a little here something for everyone. These sources are anti-inflammatory and also easy for your body to absorb.

1. Cooked spinach

                                   

2. Oysters

3. Meat

4. Salmon

5. Soybean

6. Liver

7. Tempe

8. Tofu

9. Dark chocolate

10. Broccoli