prouts: 1 cup of Brussels sprouts contains 1.87 mg iron.
Chili Pepper: 2 teaspoons of chili pepper contains .93 mg iron.
Cinnamon: 2 teaspoons of cinnamon contains .43 mg iron.
Cloves: 2 teaspoons of cloves contains .5 mg iron.
Collard Greens*: 1 cup cooked collard greens contains 2.15 mg iron.
Cumin: Seeds: 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds contains 2.79 mg iron.
Fennel: 1 cup of chopped fennel bulb contains .67 mg iron.
Garbanzo Beans: 1 cup of garbanzo beans contains 4.74 mg iron.
Green Beans: 1 cup of green beans contains .81 mg iron.
Kale*: 1 cooked cup of kale contains 1.17 mg iron.
Kidney Beans: 1 cup of kidney beans contains 3.93 mg iron.
Leeks: 1 cup of cooked leeks contains 1.14 mg iron.
Lentils: 1 cup of cooked lentils contains 6.59 mg iron.
Lima Beans: 1 cup of lima beans contains 4.49 mg iron.
Mustard Greens: 1 cup cooked mustard greens contains 1.22 mg iron.
Navy Beans: 1 cup cooked navy beans contains 4.3 mg iron.
Olives: 1 cup canned black olives contains 4.44 mg iron.
Oregano: 2 teaspoons of oregano contains .74 mg iron.
Parsley: ½ cup of parsley contains 1.88 mg iron.
Peas: 1 cup of peas contains 2.12 mg iron.
Pinto Beans: 1 cup cooked pinto beans contains 3.57 mg iron.
Pumpkin Seeds: ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds contains 2.84 mg iron.
Quinoa: ¾ cup of quinoa contains 2.76 mg iron.
Romaine Lettuce: 2 cups of romaine lettuce contains .91 mg iron.
Sesame Seeds: ¼ cup of sesame seeds contains 5.24 mg iron.
¼ cup of sesame seeds is a ridiculous amount to eat all in one setting. This is a great example of adding a bit to recipes or looking for recipes that contain this food instead of eating a large amount to get a nutrient.
Spinach*: 1 cup cooked spinach contains 6.43 mg iron.
Summer Squash/Zucchini: 1 cup cooked summer squash contains .65 mg iron.
Swiss Chard: 1 cup cooked Swiss chard contains 3.96 mg iron.
Turmeric: 2 teaspoons of ground turmeric contains 1.82 mg iron.
Turnip Greens: 1 cup cooked turnip greens contains 1.15 mg iron.
Sources of iron, as well as their total iron content were found on World's Healthiest Foods and Well-Being Secrets.
Sources of Vitamin C:
Apricots, Asparagus, Avocado, Banana, Basil, Beets, Bell Peppers*, Blueberries, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cayenne Pepper, Cherries*, Chili Pepper, Cloves, Collard Greens, Corn, Cranberries, Cucumbers*, Garlic, Grapefruit, Grapes*, Green Beans, Kale*, Kiwi, Leeks, Lemon, Mustard Greens, Onion, Oranges, Oregano, Papaya, Parsley, Peas, Pears, Pineapple, Plums, Pomegranate, Raspberries, Romaine Lettuce, Spinach*, Strawberries*, Summer Squash*, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes*, Turnip Greens, Watermelon, Winter Squash and Zucchini.
Those featured in italics also contain iron.
Important to note that vitamin C is heat liable, meaning that it is destroyed by heat. Consequently cooking foods contain vitamin C will reduce the amount of vitamin C in the food. While it may no longer be the best source of vitamin C at that point it will have other nutrients. When focusing on getting vitamin C choose a method of preparation that doesn’t involve heat.
Lucky Iron Fish
In late 2015 I came across information on Lucky Iron Fish, an affordable, ingenious and even charitable idea for boosting iron levels. I mentioned the little fella in the recipes Natalie's Borscht and Lime-Ginger Carrot Soup.
You simply put the Lucky Iron Fish in whatever fluid based (soup, sauce, stew, etc.) food that you’re preparing and it enriches the dish with iron! Even better, when you purchase a Lucky Iron Fish for you, the company donates 1 to a family in need. That’s a win-win situation.
Click HERE to learn more about the Lucky Iron Fish and get you one!
With the exception of the Lucky Iron Fish (I have no affiliation with the company, I simply love their product and what they are doing), the links contained in this article are Amazon affiliate links. That means while your cost is the same as it would be if you went to Amazon.com directly, NutritionSheila.com receives affiliate compensation which in turn is used to spread nutrition, health and wellness informati