Increasing the iron: the research

I have anemia. Yes, all the garbage my body's thrown at me lately has drained me of iron. In my own locavore way, I'm planning to increase the amount of iron in my diet, too. It can only help.

So far, I've found that red meat, egg yolks, seafood, shellfish, oysters are high in iron. Some of these are also high in cholesterol, so I'll need to balance this. Shellfish and oysters are not exactly plentiful here in the great lakes, but I can get other fish. Did you notice I left out liver? It's high on the iron list, but it's not going on my shopping list. Nope.

On the plant side, we have dark green, leafy vegetables (grow, spinach, grow!), dried fruit, beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and artichokes. Blackstrap molasses is another iron-rich food option. If I make grandma's baked beans with molasses, that would be a great side dish. Red beans and rice would be good, too. I wonder if the rest of the family will eat artichokes? I like artichoke hearts in pasta dishes at the local Italian restaurant. Am I gutsy enough to cook them myself? Maybe.

The good news? Adding vitamin C in the form of orange juice, tomatoes, or berries can increase your absorption of iron-rich foods. Homemade jam with organic berries! Homegrown tomatoes! Berries from the Farmers' Market on top of iron-enriched cereal - with orange juice on the side! I can do this.
The bad news? Coffee can actually interfere with the absorption of iron. Hm. Must think on this one. Sob.

Before I take any more action, I think I'll take a nap. Rest is good. ZZZZZZzzzzzzz.

Much of my information came from Everyday Health's collection of articles on iron in diets. I'll keep working on it and discussing this with my doctor. No worries, bloggy peeps. And you know it: if I find a good recipe, I'll post it here.

And you also know this: I'm open to suggestions. Leave me a link to a good iron-rich recipe, and I just might try it!

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