How to Get Iron on a Vegan Diet

Overall, the vegan lifestyle can lead to some health benefits. Some are due to the influx of micronutrients abundant in plants, others are cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fats, IGF-1, Neu5gc and other foreign compounds. Although still contained in plants, nutrients such as iron are a bit difficult to obtain in a vegan diet. Anemia afflicts about 3 million Americans (not just vegans) and is a common diagnosis due to iron deficiency. Not all vegans are anemic, but it helps to know the basics of avoiding it in the future. Here’s everything you need to know about vegan diets and anemia.

What is anemia?

Anemia is the most common blood disorder according to the National Institute of Cardiopulmonary Blood. People with anemia do not have enough red blood cells (or damaged red blood cells) to transport enough oxygen in the bloodstream to the tissues of the body. Symptoms of anemia can vary on a severity scale. Mild symptoms manifest as fatigue or paleness, while more severe symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness, and brittleness of the nails and hair.

What Causes Anemia?

Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia, but it is not the only trigger. Several inflammatory and chronic illnesses such as the severe menstrual cycle in women, cancer, B12 deficiency, and IBS can also cause anemia in individuals. You can’t easily control some of these rarer triggers, but you can control your iron and B12 intake. Let’s take a closer look at how these two nutrients affect blood oxygen levels.

iron

Iron is the main component of hemoglobin. A protein found in red blood cells that is absolutely important for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron also supports the proper functioning of cells, regulates hormone production and enhances metabolism. Without enough iron, the body cannot produce enough red blood cells to transport enough oxygen to the body’s tissues, causing fatigue. The recommended daily intake of iron (RDA) for most adults is 8 milligrams for men and 18 milligrams for women.

Heme vs non-heme iron

There are two types of iron, heme and non-heme. Heme iron is primarily found in animal-based sauces, but is now also found in certain plant-based meats such as Impossible Burger. Heme iron tends to be more easily absorbed than non-heme iron found in both vegetable and animal foods. Not surprisingly, vegans tend to lack heme iron, but you can still get enough while consuming non-heme iron foods. According to researchers at Harvard TH Chan Public Health School, taking 500 milligrams of vitamin C in the same diet can significantly increase iron absorption.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the less common deficiencies that can ultimately lead to anemia, but this nutrient is as important as iron in the production of red blood cells and the transport of oxygen in the bloodstream. .. Vitamin B12 is one supplement that every vegan (and person) should take on a regular basis. This nutrient is very difficult to find in plant-based foods. Nutrition Yeast is the only common plant-based food that naturally contains vitamin B12, and while there are several fortified vegan products on the market, vegan supplements are safe and effective to keep you from running out. Method. Most adults only need 2.4 micrograms per day, but don’t worry if your supplement contains up to 500 micrograms. This amount does not constitute an overdose.

Top 5 Foods for Getting Iron in a Vegan Diet

1 Legumes and beans

Legumes are often advertised for their high protein content, but a lesser-known fact is that legumes are also rich in iron. Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils, and soybeans (including tofu and tempeh) help reach daily iron quotas. Both lentil and tofu cups each contain about 6.6 grams of iron. Kidney beans and lima beans are the two best sources of iron when it comes to beans, containing 5.2 milligrams and 4.5 milligrams per cup, respectively.

2 Quinoa

There is a reason why quinoa has often been advertised as a superfood. This fluffy, voluminous grain contains 4 grams of iron per half cup of dry serving. If you’re fighting anemia, try replacing rice in a grain bowl with this iron-rich vegan food.

3 Black strap molasses

This rich, syrup-like substance is very iron-rich and clocks in at 7.2 milligrams per 2 tablespoons of serving (which is almost a day’s worth of iron for men!). It is not recommended to drink molasses with a spoon like Vegan Nutera, but there are ways to incorporate this food into your daily diet. This Muhammara dip recipe is a great place to start.

Four Nuts and seeds

Yes, nut butter is also important. To fully meet your iron requirements, you need to eat a little more nuts, which can help you reach that goal. Get pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. All of these contain 1-2.7 milligrams of iron per ounce of serving.

Five Leafy vegetables

Popeye was right — leafy vegetables are a true nutritional power. Swiss chard is particularly high in iron, which weighs about 4 milligrams per cup when cooked. Spinach also contains a significant amount of iron, but it is not easily absorbed by the body. Other vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli and kale are solid choices.

Tully Zander is a devoted vegan mother of two great dogs and loves to try plant-based foods by sharing tips on her blog, VegansFirst.

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