by Pat Lunsford

Created on: July 03, 2008   Last Updated: October 21, 2009

The foods highest in Heme iron come from animal organ meats such as kidneys, liver, gizzard and hearts. Non-heme iron is what you get from vegetables. Iron is very effective in weight loss as it produces red blood cells that carry oxygenated blood to the muscles.

An iron deficiency zaps our energy, making us feel tired and sluggish so it needs to be included in our daily diet. Women need about 18 mg of iron per day while men and children need only 10 to 15 mg. If you think you're not getting enough iron, change your diet, or ask your doctor for an iron supplement.

Anemia is the result of an iron deficiency and a diet that includes foods rich in iron along with iron supplements can easily take care of it. However, women who are pregnant shouldn't consume liver or liver products as it contains high levels of vitamin A, which could be bad for the baby.

A number of vegetarians tend to be borderline anemic, but meats are not the only source of iron. Meats do have the highest iron content but there are other foods that you can substitute such as prunes or raisins. There are also some grain products that are equally as rich in iron such as cream of wheat and oatmeal. Many cereals are even iron-fortified.

For the best results, iron-rich foods should be served with foods high in vitamin C to help the intestines absorb it more efficiently. At the same time, milk can interfere with iron absorption so it's best to hold off on the milk until later.

The problem comes from not knowing exactly which foods are iron-rich. The following lists may help.

Heme Iron can be found in foods such as:

- Liver
- Kidney
- Mussels
- Fish
- Venison
- Goose
- Shrimp
- Anchovies
- Sardines
- Pheasant
- Tongue
- Haggis

Non-Heme Iron is found in foods such as:

- Ground Cinnamon
- Bran Flakes
- Curry Powder
- Rosemary
- Ground thyme
- Paprika
- Oat & Wheat Bran
- Special K
- Sesame seeds
- Licorice
- Dried Figs
- Soy Beans
- Wheat Bran
- Lentils
- Hazelnuts
- Almonds
- Black Currants
- Apricots
- Kidney Beans

With health being a major concern these days, and rightly so, people are learning more and better ways to eat. Therefore, include a few iron-rich foods in your diet along with foods rich in vitamin C. Incorporating foods rich in iron will help your body build healthier blood cells and you'll feel a lot better for it.

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