Iron for Vegetarians and Vegans

     One question I get frequently is "How do you get enough iron in your diet if you don't eat meat?" That is easy to answer. The good earth provides us with all of the iron we need in plant sources. If you are concerned with getting enough iron, you can always take an iron supplement or a multivitamin/mineral combination that provides iron, but for those who want to explore the earth's bounty of iron sources in plant life, here are some good food choices for you:
(1) Legumes such as kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils
(2) Nuts and Seeds- such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, and cashews.
(3) Whole and Enriched grains such as iron fortified cereal and quinoa.
(4) Dark leafy greens such as spinach
(5) Dried fruit
     Whichever foods you choose to supply you with iron, try to include a generous supply of vitamin c with that meal or snack. Even a glass of orange or grapefuit juice will enhance your body's ability to absorb the iron from the foods you eat.
     Eat healthy. Be well.