7 iron rich foods to add to your diet

Iron is an essential mineral that keeps your body functioning, and plays a vital role in its growth and development.

If your body doesn’t get enough iron, it can’t produce enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around your body. This may lead to iron deficiency anaemia, which can make you feel tired and weak.

How much iron do you need?

UK guidelines recommend you include a specific amount of daily iron in your diet to help keep your body healthy.

These amounts vary, depending on your age and gender:

• Men aged 19 and over - 8.7 grams.

• Women aged 19-49 - 14.8 grams.

• Women aged 50 and over - 8.7 grams.

Helena Barham, Nutritional Therapist and Founder of Nourish&Be, London UK says that women who menstruate need more iron to compensate for their monthly blood loss. Otherwise men and menopausal women are recommended to consume the same amount.

She also adds that pregnant and breast feeding women tend to need more iron to help with growth and milk production.

Good sources of iron

The best way to make sure your body gets the right amount of iron is to regularly include iron-rich foods in your diet. We asked a nutritionist for advice on which foods to prioritise if you suspect you’re not getting enough.

7 iron rich foods to add to your diet

Graphic: Ben Hudson

1. Meat and poultry

Meat is an excellent source of iron, making it a great option to include in your diet if you're looking to boost your intake.

Barham says that the iron found in meat is in the same form as the iron naturally present in our bodies (heme iron). This means your body absorbs it better.

"Chicken thigh and dark meat contains nearly double the amount of iron compared to chicken breast," she says. "Red meat tends to have the highest iron content - think beef and lamb."

She adds that pork is also a good source of iron, with offal meat - such as liver, heart and kidney - containing even higher amounts.

2. Seafood

Seafood is high in heme iron, which your body absorbs well.

Barham explains that shellfish in particular - such as oysters and clams - are great sources of iron. Sardines, tuna and salmon are also good sources and include omega-3 fatty acids and protein - two nutrients that many of us don't get enough of.

"Oysters and clams are also high in protein, and have the added benefit of iodine, selenium, zinc and vitamin B12," she says. "These vitamins and minerals play key roles in keeping our energy levels steady, making them a great support for the thyroid which is essential for feeling energised."

3. Beans and legumes

Beans, legumes, and pulses are also good sources of iron. However, plant-based foods contain non-heme iron, which is less easily absorbed than heme iron.

According to Barham, your body absorbs heme iron from meat and fish much more efficiently than non-heme iron from plant-based foods. Heme iron has an absorption rate of 20-30%, while the body typically only absorbs 1-10% of non-heme iron.

"Gram for gram, white beans contain more iron than meat sources," she says. "But the notion that beans have more iron than beef is not strictly true when we think about how much we can actually use of the bean iron content."

Barham adds that legumes and beans, while rich in non-heme iron, also contain phytates - compounds that bind to plant-based iron in the gut and prevent our bodies from absorbing it.

She suggests soaking legumes overnight to reduce their phytate content and increase the amount of accessible iron.

"I would recommend this, especially if you're on a vegetarian or vegan diet and rely on plant iron," she says. "Add some vitamin C to help with iron absorption, as this can help prevent phytate binding."

4. Dark green leafy vegetables

Dark leafy greens are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and compounds crucial for our overall wellbeing.

Barham explains that spinach, cavolo nero, kale, watercress, broccoli and parsley all contain plenty of non-heme iron.

"Vitamin C is key for non-heme iron absorption," she says. "It binds to non-heme iron in ways that our gut can still absorb it."

For this reason, it's a good idea to pair your intake of these foods with vitamin C sources - for example, citrus fruits and red peppers.

5. Dried fruits and nuts

Dried fruits and nuts contain a good amount of iron - particularly pistachios, almonds, and cashew nuts.

Barham explains this also applies to pumpkin and sesame seeds. However, you would need to eat a substantial amount to meet the recommended dietary iron intake.

"30 grams of mixed nuts contain 0.7 milligrams of non-heme iron," she says. "Dried apricots have 0.93 milligrams of iron per each 30 gram serving, so can be a good way to supplement iron intake."

Barham suggests eating no more than 30 grams of dried fruits and nuts daily.

She adds: "I personally eat a handful of nuts per day to support mineral intake."

6. Iron-fortified foods

Breakfast cereals are usually fortified with iron. However, it’s non-heme iron, so you need to find ways to improve its absorption if you rely on cereal as your primary source of iron.

Again, Barham recommends consuming some vitamin C with your cereal - something as simple as having an orange with breakfast could improve your iron levels.

"Ideally have the whole fruit rather than just the juice," she says. "This will help avoid a blood sugar spike and subsequent energy crash."

7. Wholegrains

Eating wholegrains has a multitude of health benefits. They are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which help support your overall wellbeing.

Barham explains that though there is marginally more non-heme iron in wholegrains - such as brown rice - compared to refined grains - such as white rice - wholegrains are not typically recognised for their natural iron content.

"Breakfast cereals made with wholegrains are often fortified with iron which is a good way to boost your iron intake," she says.

How to increase your iron intake

Combining the right food choices and including sources of vitamin C in your meals can both boost and manage your iron intake. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may also suggest taking iron supplements, though a healthy, balanced diet can provide all the iron you need.

Barham also has additional tips to help preserve the iron in your food and enhance its absorption.

Carry on cooking

Cooking meat and vegetables can reduce their iron content.

However, Barham advises this doesn't mean you should increase your raw food intake to safeguard their nutritional value.

She says: "Cooking often helps us to absorb more nutrients from food by essentially starting the digestive process for us."

It's all in the chew

Properly chewing your food is a simple habit that can significantly improve your digestion.

Barham says this simple mechanical process helps break down food into smaller pieces.

She explains: "Chewing helps your digestive enzymes work on a higher surface area of the food, increasing your body's ability to absorb nutrients."

Cut back on caffeine

Coffee can inhibit iron absorption. Therefore, you should avoid drinking coffee during or immediately after meals.

"Coffee is known to reduce the amount of iron we can absorb from a meal," says Barham. "Having a coffee with - or even an hour after - food can decrease the absorption of iron."

She adds that tea is also known to decrease absorption - likely due to the polyphenols in the tea and coffee that bind to iron and interfere with its effectiveness.

Mind your drinks

Long-term and short-term alcohol consumption can impact your body's iron metabolism. This is the process through which it absorbs, stores and uses iron.

"Alcohol decreases production of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin so that more iron is absorbed," says Barham. "This can lead to iron overload - a dangerous condition related to liver disease, heart problems, diabetes, and more."

If you're worried about getting enough iron or you've noticed related symptoms, have a chat with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on what you're feeling, a dietitian or nutritionist can also help guide you in the right direction for your health.