Top 10 iron-rich foods for Vegetarians

All through my childhood, I wondered if Ironman eats iron to get stronger or not. 

Although I never could find the answer then, I know the importance of iron in our lives now. And not just iron, we need other minerals like potassium, zinc, copper, sodium, etc. to stay stronger and healthy. 

When it comes to iron, it fuels our bloodline, quite literally. And you surely might have heard of its importance in pregnancy. The benefits are numerous. However, we miss to acknowledge the number of iron-rich foods, especially vegetarian.

So, if you are a vegetarian looking for iron-rich foods, here is the list for you. But before this, let’s learn the importance of iron and how much we need daily.

53% of Indian women suffer from iron deficiency, while the global average is 25%.^[1]

Why We Need Iron?

One purpose of life is to grow strong and live long. Iron helps in this. It offers immense benefits, including: 

• Transports Oxygen: Iron is used to make hemoglobin, our red blood cells’ protein, which carries oxygen throughout our body so we don’t feel tired and exhausted.
• Produces Energy: Call it the Tesla of our body. It helps our body produce energy by serving its role in ETC (Electron Transport Chain). ^[2]
• Strengthens Immunity: It is not a widely known benefit, but researchers have recently discovered that it adds to our immunity too. ^[3]
• DNA Synthesis: You, me, Mr. Obama, we all are a result of our DNA. It carries traits from one generation to another. Damage in DNA means terrible things. Iron helps in its synthesis. ^[4] 
• Supports pregnancy: Pregnant women naturally share their blood with the baby in their stomachs. This increased blood volume needs an increase in iron, too. A lack of it means anaemia and other defects.
• Prevents Anemia: Lack of oxygen means anaemia, which means fatigue, weakness, and a reduced capacity to carry out daily activities.

Taking enough iron is a necessity, which most of us ignore.

India suffers the highest rate of iron deficiency in the world. It ranks 170^th among 180 nations.^[5]

But how much iron do we need per day?

The amount of iron needed per day depends on several factors such as age, sex, physique, etc. 

Now, let’s see what foods can nourish you with enough iron so you become as strong as Ironman. 

1. Dark Chocolate

This dark delicacy must’ve brightened your eyes instantly after reading this. Not many do know that the favourite of many is also very nutritious. 

Dark chocolate has a rich iron content – a whopping 11.9mg in a 100-gram chocolate. This fulfils most of our daily requirements. However, most people opt for unhealthier versions of dark chocolate, which is the sweetened one. It adds unnecessary calories and disrupts our blood sugar rather than maintaining it. ^[7]

Always go for at least 80% dark chocolate. This will control the sugar you’ll take along with it. 100 grams of 80% dark chocolate means 20 grams of sugar. This almost equals our maximum intake of added sugar, which is

• 25grams for women
• 35grams for men

As you can see, it is loaded with calories. So you might want to eat not more than a serving of it, which is around 30 grams. This will help you with your weight loss too.

Dark Chocolate also comes loaded with several nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, vitamin B, A, E, K, carotene and numerous antioxidants. 

Also read – Health benefits of Dark Chocolate

2. Jaggery

Jaggery, a traditional sweetener derived from concentrated sugarcane juice or palm sap, has been a staple in many cuisines worldwide. Beyond its sweet taste and distinct flavor, jaggery is recognized for its nutritional value, particularly as a rich source of iron. 

Jaggery contains significant amounts of iron, about 11 mg in 100 gm of jaggery. 

It is also one of the best replacements of sugar for all those who want to reduce their sugar intake. Unlike sugar, jaggery is digested slowly and it releases energy slowly to the body which makes it suitable for people in need to cut down sugar. The potassium in jaggery helps in weight management and also in increasing metabolism. ^[10]

You can replace your sugar in tea and sweets with jaggery easily to move towards a healthy natural sweetener and prefer buying organic-natural jaggery for optimal benefits. 

Also read – Benefits of Jaggery

3. Tofu

Tofu has recently become a favourite of the world due to its high protein content. It is less expensive and fulfills the daily protein requirement of many. But not many do know that it is also rich in iron, such that it fulfills almost 50% of our daily requirements. 

A 100-grams of tofu offers us 5.36mg of iron. Not to mention the other vitamins and minerals that come with it. You get calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, vitamin D, folate, choline, vitamin A, vitamin K, and lots of antioxidants. ^[11]

There are many ways you can use Tofu. A few include:

• Eat it raw for maximum benefits
• Give it a good stir-fry and season with your favourite spices
• Mix it in curries
• Add it to your salads, etc.

Don’t deep-fry it. This will instantly turn a positive food into a negative one.

Also read – Top 10 Vitamin B12 Fruits

4. Oats

Oats are mostly used as a breakfast cereal because they are fiber-rich. And fibre, as we all know, helps smoothen bowel movements, strengthen the digestive system, and promote weight loss. But this soft food is also loaded with tough iron. 

A 100-gram of oats nourishes us with 4.25mg of iron – nearly 50% of our daily requirement. ^[13]

Oats offer plenty of health benefits such as weight loss, improved heart health, balanced blood sugar, skin health, relief from constipation, etc. 

The best way to make oats is the way you like it the most (just don’t deep-fry it or turn it into any other unhealthy form). You may boil them in milk, make oats khichdi, or even make cookies out of these.

5. Dried Moringa Leaves

Indian food is embedded in nutrition and one of the finest examples of that is Moringa or as we now call it Drumsticks. Moringa leaves used to be a part of our diets but has somehow lost its place. Well, it is time to bring it back in your diet. 

Fresh Moringa leaves powder contains a whooping 4mg iron content per 100 gm. If you go for dried moringa leave powder, this content goes high up. You get about  98 ug in 1 gm of powder. To explain it better, in 100gm of dried moringa powder, you get 24.33 mg of iron. Similarly, the Drumsticks or the Moringa pods we eat contain about 4 mg of iron per 100 gm. ^[14][15][16]

Also read – Benefits of Drumsticks

6. Legumes

Most legumes are rich sources of iron. For example, red kidney beans offer a wholesome nutritious profile with iron levels of up to 3.8mg per 100 grams. Apart from their rich iron profile, they also offer around 24 grams of protein, a good amount of calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, etc. ^[18]

Here is the iron content of a few other legumes:

• Chickpeas – 4.31mg
• Peas – 1.8mg
• Black Beans – 2.1mg
• Navy Beans – 1.9mg
• Peanuts – 4.6mg
• Lentils – 3.3mg

All these are a good source of protein and fibre as well. Just ensure that you opt for healthy cooking methods. Boiling and sprouting are the top two healthiest methods you can go for. ^{[19][20][21][22][23][24]}

7. Spinach 

Whenever we speak of iron, we speak of spinach. It is rich in it. And it is low on calories as well. The true definition of light and strong. 

A 100-gram spinach provides around 2.71mg of iron. This makes up around 25% of our daily requirement. ^[25]

Iron is not the only benefit that comes with spinach. It also provides a good amount of antioxidants, which offer their own benefits such as skin health, heart health, longevity, immunity support, eye health, etc. ^[28]

To get maximum antioxidants out of your spinach leaves, eat them with good fat (HDL) such as olive oil. It increases their absorption rate. ^[29]

Apart from antioxidants, spinach provides a good amount of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, B6, magnesium, calcium, etc.

The best way to eat spinach is to either eat it raw or boil it. Don’t fry it. 

Use it in your salads, make spinach smoothies, mix it in your vegetable juice, or make that delicious saag we all love. 

Pro Tip: To boost your iron absorption rate, blend it with Vitamin C. ^[30]

Also read – Spinach health benefits

8. Sesame and Pumpkin Seeds

We all know these seeds from their hair-growth benefit. But the least known thing about them is their iron content. A palm-full of these tiny seeds fulfil 15-30% of our daily iron requirement for men and women. From 28 grams of pumpkin seeds, we get around 2.5mg of iron and 1 tbsp of sesame seeds gives you around 1.31mg iron. ^[31][32]

Also read – Sesame seeds health benefits

Not just these two seeds but other seeds, such as chia seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds etc., offer us a good amount of iron.

Nuts and seeds are recommended to be consumed daily due to their rich nutrition profile. We get protein, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, healthy fat, and fibre out of them. However, it is important to consult your healthcare professional before you begin to consume them. 

These nutrients offer health benefits such as:

• Boosts immunity due to their high antioxidant content
• Enhances bladder health
• Wonderful for heart health
• Reduces bad cholesterol from the body
• Strengthens guts due to their good fibre content
• And provides a good night’s sleep ^{[33][34][35][36][37]}

Also read – Pumpkin seeds health benefits

9. Quinoa

This grain is that new guy in the town who is gathering all the attention. Quinoa is an American produce and was not well-known in India, until now. 

Cook 100 grams of quinoa and you’ll 1.5mg of iron out of it. ^[38]

It is also a gluten-free crop, which means your guts won’t have a hard time handling them. 

Apart from being rich in iron, quinoa is also excellent at providing magnesium, copper, potassium, manganese, magnesium, etc. These minerals help our bodies perform vital functions such as breathing, thinking, pulsating, etc.

Its higher protein and antioxidant content also make it a healthy weight-loss recipe.  

How to cook quinoa?

You can make upma, sprout it and use it for salads, make cookies, quinoa pops, or even turn it into flour. The outcome is always delicious.

Also read – Quinoa health benefits

10. Broccoli, Carrot and Beetroot

One of the most nutritious vegetables, broccoli, carrot and beetroot, are a must add to your diet. Speaking of its iron content, you’ll get around 0.8mg from cooked broccoli and raw beetroot.  From carrots you will get 0.3 mg of iron. But iron is not the only good thing about these veggie delights.^[40][41]

Also – Incredible health benefits of beetroot

Broccoli is brilliant when it comes to vitamin C. It contains around 65mg in 100 grams. This means nearly 100% of our daily requirements. Fibre, folate, vitamin K, etc., all these nutrients come with it.^[42]

Also read – Complete guide on broccoli health benefits

If you want an alternative to broccoli, you can choose any of its family members to eat. Here are a few examples: cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, etc. Brussels sprouts will give you 1.4mg per 100 grams. 

Carrots also provide you with a good amount of calcium, appx. 33 mg, 320 mg potassium, 12 mg magnesium and 5.9 mg vitamin C. While beetroot brings you a wholesome 23 mg of magnesium, 40 mg phosphorus, 325 mg potassium and 4.9 mg vitamin C. ^[43][44]

The best way to use these vegetables is in salads or roasted vegetables. It tastes intensely good. Just avoid overcooking and overconsumption. Those on blood-thinning medications should consult a doctor first due to the vitamin K content in broccoli and beets.

Bonus: Fortified Foods

Sometimes, when the sources become limited and the needs take a leap, life calls us to go for supplements. If your daily iron requirement is not met, you might want to go for fortified foods. 

These foods are made by adding essential nutrients to them. For example, you might easily find on the market shelves, cereals fortified with iron, vitamin D, vitamin B, etc. 

A few examples include iron-fortified breakfast cereals, pasta, tofu, oats, etc.

How do you increase iron absorption in the body?

The human body absorbs different nutrients at different rates. This requires us to blend them with certain foods to increase their absorption rate. 

For example, our bodies absorb curcumin (the beneficial compound in turmeric) at a lower rate. Taking turmeric with black pepper increases its absorption rate by a whopping 2,000%.

Similarly, our bodies also find it harder to absorb iron, especially when it is non-heme iron (plant-based iron). The other type of iron is heme iron, which is found only in animal flesh and is easily absorbed. 

To increase the absorption rate of non-heme iron

• Take it with vitamin C
• Avoid tea and coffee with and after meals
• Soaking, sprouting, and fermenting helps
• Consuming lysine-rich foods such as legumes, quinoa, etc. increases iron’s absorption rate ^{[45][46][47][48]}

The Bottom Line

India sits highest in terms of iron deficiency around the world. 53% of Indian women fail to meet their daily iron requirement. This leads to anaemia and other functional losses. 

Iron plays a pivotal role in our vitality. From oxygen transport to energy production, immunity, and DNA synthesis, it’s indispensable. For vegetarians, ensuring sufficient iron intake is key. 

Spinach, legumes, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, broccoli, tofu, dark chocolate, amaranth, oats, and fortified foods – all these foods offer a rich iron repertoire. Remember to include them well in your diet. 

A well-balanced diet is the key. Boost iron absorption with vitamin C. And make sure you skip tea or coffee during or after meals. 

Embrace these iron-packed foods, and who knows, you might end up feeling as invincible as Ironman – just minus the metal suit and with a plate full of spinach!

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