Today on green vegetables nutrition we will discuss a painful subject – Iron intake and iron absorption. Many people are suffering from low iron levels, and this type of anemia, which we have written about in other green vegetables nutrition posts in the past (simply search the search box above..) is something not only curable without medication, but also quickly solved!
Reading this article you will learn:
- That you can get sufficient iron from vegetables
- What vegetables have high levels of iron in them
- How to make sure you absorb the iron you eat
Green Vegetables Nutrition and Sufficient Iron Levels
We have taken the time here on green vegetables nutrition to make a list of vegetables and vegetarian foods which contain high amounts of iron, so you will be able to enjoy a wide variety of foods and get your iron needs met:
Beans have much iron in them – be it Lima beans, black or pinto beans and the very popular soy beans, and of course, kidney beans. Greens such as spinach, turnip, beet-greens, kale and broccoli. Take note that there is an argument in the nutritional society regarding spinach and iron, as some claim that one of the materials in spinach prohibits the iron from actually being absorbed by our digestive system, thus leaving us in shortage.
Raisins have fair amounts of iron in them, and organic raisins are usually delicious and could be added to the cooking pot while you are making rice, with some cinnamon and black beans to top it (I’m a bit hungry as I’m writing this post, so excuse me for going to recipes all of the sudden
). Oh, and just to quickly answer a question someone asked me not too long ago – “No, raisins do not give black stools”.
Seeds and nuts usually have iron in then, and sesame seeds are rich not only in iron, but in many other vital nutritional ingrediants, and Tahini, which is made out of the seeds and it is a main ingredients in the Mediterranean dish the all mighty Humus, is delicious and rich in iron. Great flavor and amazing nutritional value all packed in one dish, an all time green vegetables nutrition favorite!
Green Vegetables Nutrition – Absorb Your Iron
As you know by now, putting the stuff in our body does not mean we absorb it, and it might come out the other end the same as it came in. Absorption is super important and it is not taken into account by many doctors who simply did not get the right nutritional knowledge, as nutrition is not a standard in medical seminars doctors must attend yearly.
Lucky you, you are reading this article, and even though I have written about this in the past, there is such a great interest on the subject that I decided to write again. The main thing we need to keep in mind is that when we eat an entire meal, the digestive system needs to deal with many nutrients at the same time. It is not easy, and if we have a weak system it is even harder, and many times the nutritional value of foods we eat gets lost in the process of digestion, a thing that is very common with Iron.
To maximize iron absorption in the body we need to isolate it. This is not something that should be done regularly by healthy people that do not suffer anemia, but as a technique used for those in need. Eat iron rich vegetables such as the ones in the list above, and make sure you eat some vitamin C with it, preferably one or two minutes before and then right after. Vitamin c is essential for absorbing iron into our system, and it would be wise to make sure it is present and in sufficient amounts to allow the iron to be absorbed. It is also best to take in the iron dosage of the day as the first meal, as the digestive system is clocked by nature to be stronger in the morning, and after the night fast, it is empty and ready to take in as much of the nutrients in the food.
This is enough for today, as using this information should help you adjust your iron levels with in a matter of a couple of months, naturally and while improving your general health and without too much stress involved. Hope you got your answers here, and if not feel more than free to email us here on green vegetables nutrition.





