If you were recently diagnosed with an iron deficiency and don’t know what food items to consume in order to make sure your iron levels come up, we’ve got you covered. There are so many iron-rich foods in a vegetarian diet that you can consume on a daily basis to make sure your health is back to normal. Read on to learn all about these vegetarian sources of iron and make delicious recipes to complete your diet.

What you need to know:

What is iron and why is it necessary?
10 Vegetarian iron-rich Indian foods

What is iron and why is it necessary?

Iron is an important mineral that is required by your body to make hemoglobin, a protein that transports blood and oxygen throughout the body. There are two types of iron – animal heme iron found in animal sources such as meat and seafood; and plant-based non-heme iron found in soy, vegetables, nuts and fortified grains. A deficiency of iron in the body can lead to anemia, low energy levels, shortness of breath, headaches, irritability, and dizziness.

Although the recommended daily intake (RDI) is based on an average intake of 18 mg of iron per day, the individual requirements vary from person to person on the basis of gender, age, and life stage. While heme iron is easily absorbed by the body, the non-heme type requires the body to undertake several steps for its absorption. Therefore, the RDI for vegetarians and vegans is 1.8 times higher than for meat-eaters.

10 vegetarian iron-rich Indian foods

Soybean: Foods derived from soybean are packed with iron.
Lentils: Lentils are another iron-rich Indian food. It also contains a significant amount of protein, fiber, folate, complex carbs, and manganese.
Beans and peas: White, lima, red kidney and navy beans also contain a significant amount of iron.
Nuts: Almond, pine nuts, and cashews are rich in iron and help fight anemia.
Seeds: Pumpkin, sesame, hemp, chickpeas, and flaxseeds are also powerhouses of iron.
Leafy green vegetables: Kale, spinach, collard, beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts are also loaded with iron. Potatoes contain a good amount of iron, primarily in the skin.
Mushrooms: Out of the many varieties of mushrooms, only a selected few like the oyster and portobello mushrooms are rich in iron.
Olives: Olives also contain iron and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Whole grains: Whole grains include the likes of oats and quinoa.
Dark chocolate: It is significantly more nutritious than its milk chocolate counterpart and contains nutrients including iron, fiber, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Add these iron-rich foods to your vegetarian diet and we are sure you will see a drastic change in your overall health.

Stay tuned to the Activ Living Community. Keep up to date with the latest health tips and trends through expert videos, podcasts, articles, and much more in nutrition, fitness, mindfulness, and lifestyle conditions like Asthma, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Diabetes.

You may also be interested in the following blogs: