Iron is needed for metabolism and blood oxygenation. While meat is commonly considered the main source of iron, many vegetarian foods are high in it. Include these foods in your diet to achieve your daily iron needs without animal products.
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1. Legumes
Iron is easy to find in legumes like chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, and lentils. They also have a lot of protein and fibre, which makes them a healthy addition to meatless meals.
2. Tofu
Tofu, which is made from soy beans, is a flexible food that can be used in many recipes. Not only is it high in iron, but it also has a lot of calcium and protein.
3. Spinach
Dark, leafy greens like spinach are full of iron and other minerals and vitamins that your body needs. As an easy way to get more iron, you can add spinach to soups, stir-fries, or salads.
4. Quinoa
Quinoa is a healthy whole grain that has more iron than most other foods. It also has all nine necessary amino acids, making it a complete protein.
5. Seeds and nuts
There is a lot of iron in nuts like almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. Adding nuts or seeds to salads, yoghurt, or oatmeal, or snacking on a handful of them, can help you get more iron.
6. Fortified Foods
A lot of foods, like breakfast cereals, plant-based milk, and healthy yeast, have iron and other nutrients added to them. Vegetarians can easily make sure they're getting all the nutrients they need by choosing enriched foods.
7. Chocolate Dark
Good news for chocolate lovers: dark chocolate is not only tasty, but it also has iron in it. Choose dark chocolate with a lot of cocoa to get the most health benefits from it.
8. Dried Fruit
There is a lot of iron in dried fruits like apricots, raisins, and prunes. You can eat them as snacks on the go or add them to oatmeal, trail mix, or baked goods.
9. Leafy Greens
Other leafy greens that are high in iron are kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, and spinach. You can eat them raw in salads or cooked in stews, soups, and stir-fries.
10. Whole Grains
Oats, barley, and brown rice are all whole foods that have some iron in them. If you choose whole grains over processed grains, you can get extra health benefits, like fibre and antioxidants.