Iron rich foods can come from many food sources.
However, heme iron can only come from animal muscle meats and from seafood like shellfish or from certain types of fish.
Consuming foods that contain heme iron is how you will get the most health benefits from iron.
Heme iron is much better absorbed than the type of iron which comes from plant foods.
And iron rich foods that do not contain heme iron will need to be eaten in a certain way to get a sufficient amount of the health benefits of iron.
You should include a wide variety of iron rich foods in your diet every day to get the health benefits of iron - especially the foods that contain heme iron.
Iron is a vital mineral that your body needs because it is involved with the transportation of oxygen to your cells.
Iron is a mineral that comes in two forms - heme iron or non-heme iron. This mineral is needed for the formation of healthy red blood cells.
Iron is the central part of hemoglobin which is responsible for carrying oxygen to your cells. And the adult human body contains somewhere in the range of 3 to 5 grams of iron.
Approximately 65% or more is circulating in your blood while most of the extra iron gets stored for future use.
Iron Deficiency Symptoms are some of the most common problems in the world.
Women and children seem to be the most susceptible to having this type of deficiency.
And if you don't have enough red blood cells to effectively transport oxygen throughout your body, you are said to have Anemia.
Heme iron is readily available for absorption.
Heme iron is found in food sources which include seafood, pork, beef, poultry, lamb, and organ meats.
This type of iron makes up about 40% or more of the muscle tissue in these foods and the rest will be in the non-heme form.
Non-heme iron will be found in both animal and in plant foods which include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes.
BTW, eggs will only contain non-heme iron. And non-heme iron will make up all of the iron found in plant foods.
This type of iron is not as well absorbed by the human body.
Non-heme iron will be present as ferric iron and will have to be reduced to ferrous iron in order to be absorbed.
However, heme iron will already be in the form of ferrous iron.
Supplemental sources of iron can include taking iron supplements.
Or you can consume the foods known to boost iron quickly to help an iron deficiency.
One of the best supplemental sources of heme iron will be found in grass fed organ meats like liver, heart, and in kidneys.
Wild Caught Seafood - Clams, Oysters, Mussels, Queen Crab, Shrimp, Black and Red Caviar
Wild Caught Fish - Anchovies, Tuna, Mackerel
Organic Chocolate - Fermented Chocolate Nibs, Fermented Dark Chocolate
Pastured Meats - Grass Fed Lamb, Grass Fed Beef, Grass Fed Buffalo, Dark Meat Poultry, Venison, Grass Fed Veal
Pastured Organ Meats - Grass Fed Liver, Pate, Grass Fed Heart, Grass Fed Kidney
Sprouted or Fermented Organic Grains - Spelt, Whole Wheat, Quinoa, Amaranth, Teff, Kamut, Sorghum, Oats
Organic Nuts - Soaked Pistachio Nuts, Soaked or Sprouted Almonds, Soaked Pine Nuts, Coconut
Organic Fruits - Raisins, Dates, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Dried Apricots, Prunes, Dried Peaches, Dried Figs, Olives
Soaked Organic Seeds - Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Flaxseeds
Cooked Organic Vegetables - Jerusalem Artichokes, Mustard Greens, Endive, Dandelion Greens, Green Peas, Asparagus, Oyster Mushrooms
Herbs & Spices - Dried Thyme, Dried Parsley, Cumin Seed, Dried Marjoram
Properly Soaked or Fermented Organic Legumes - Soybeans, Cashews, Peanuts, Lentils, Mung Beans, White Beans, Kidney Beans, Chickpeas or Garbanzo
Misc. - Liquorice, Black Maca Root, Spirulina, Wheatgrass, Blackstrap Molasses
These are the best heme iron and non-heme iron rich foods that you can easily include in your diet every day!
BTW, iron rich foods like clams can give you up to 32 mg. of iron per 1 cup serving which exceeds the RDA for iron for adults by about 2 to 3 times.
Iron rich foods (especially plant based) that contain non-heme iron will be more easily absorbed by your body under certain dietary conditions.
For example: Consuming vitamin C along with your meals and some heme iron foods.
Also, a variety of iron rich foods is probably the best way to ensure that you'll receive the most health benefits of iron.