Eat iron-rich foods
Include an iron source each day, and pair plant sources with vitamin C to absorb more.
- How often
- Daily
- Time
- Part of meals
- Recommended for
- 1 factor
How to do it
- Know your target: 8 mg a day for adult men and for women 51 and older; 18 mg for women 19 to 50; 27 mg during pregnancy.
- Fortified breakfast cereal can supply up to 18 mg a serving. Oysters have about 8 mg per 3 ounces, and a cup of canned white beans about 8 mg.
- Other good sources include lentils, spinach and firm tofu (about 3 mg per half cup each) and beef (about 2 mg per 3 ounces).
- Eat plant iron with vitamin C, such as citrus, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes or broccoli, to help your body absorb it.
- If you eat no meat, poultry or seafood, aim for nearly twice the listed amount, because plant iron is absorbed less well.
Why it helps
Iron helps make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in your blood. Low iron can leave you tired and weak. Heavy menstrual periods, pregnancy, frequent blood donation and plant-only diets all raise the risk of falling short.
Be careful
Don't take iron supplements unless a doctor says you need them. Too much iron is harmful, the adult upper limit is 45 mg a day, and accidental iron overdose is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6, so keep supplements out of reach. If you feel unusually tired or short of breath, ask your doctor about a blood test rather than self-treating.