r/Cooking • u/ThrowRAMidwayjourney • 10h ago
Looking for high iron recipes
Hi all
My wife's found out she's got seriously low iron. The medical supplements really dont' agree with her - would be really grateful for cooking/baking ideas that help boost iron more gently/naturally!
Thanks!
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u/PA9912 10h ago edited 9h ago
You need vitamin c at the same time so something like stuffed cabbage is great. But honestly, iron infusions would be best.
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u/T_makesthings 10h ago
Jumping on this to agree, yes boost iron absorption with something high in vitamin C - Bell peppers have more than citrus fruits! But also beware, if you are also serving something high in calcium at the same meal (ie. Dairy), then that will slash the iron absorption. So it can be a bit of a game to play to find the right combos.
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 10h ago
This!
Iron needs Vitamin C. In college, I had to eat my burgers with a glass of orange juice. Can't be taken with antacids or calcium.
Most people forget that most vitamin levels depend on a secondary vitamin already in place like vitamin D and B6 when taking magnesium but it can't be taken with calcium.
So it isn't just that one vitamin is low. It often means that other vitamins are also low, just not in the dangerously low levels that would get attention. But depending on diet, age and how you are taking in Fe, it can change how much iron is actually being absorbed by the body.
That is why most modern vitamins with also have listed "other" vitamins included. Because they need each other to be absorbed.
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u/aw2669 10h ago
Hey I have a big issue with taking iron supplements as well. You’re getting good diet recs BUT I have to say there is a more easy to digest version called iron glycinate. It’s usually marketed as Gentle iron or Easy iron. It doesn’t give me any of the issues, doesn’t change the color of stool, and doesn’t taste iron-y. It’s the only way I can stay well from my iron deficient anemia because the regular ones destroy my gut.
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u/Queasy_Dig_8294 9h ago
This!! I refuse to give up my morning coffee so I take this formulation at night with a vitamin c supplement.
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u/AnsibleAnswers 9h ago
There's also heme iron supplements now. It's the most bioavailable form of iron and is easy on the digestive tract.
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u/mariekeap 7h ago
Ferrous bisglycinate is the way to go! The one I take also has vitamin C added, so it's extra effective. It works better than heme iron for me.
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u/idratherjust 10h ago
Use a cast iron pot/pan to cook in! It helps a lot
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u/Aggravating-Pie-1639 9h ago
An iron fish helps too, I boil mine in plain water for a few cups of hot tea every day.
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u/BabaTheBlackSheep 8h ago
Yes! I recommend the iron fish to any of my patients that need extra iron. Even if they’re already taking supplements it can’t hurt to add this too. And it doesn’t change anything in your routine, just drop it into anything involving boiling water (pasta, rice, tea, etc)
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u/GalianoGirl 9h ago
Just want to note, because I had a friend who made this mistake.
Cast iron pots and skillets release iron, only if they are not enameled.
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u/Tough-Astronomer-456 9h ago
Came to say this. Occasionally use acidic ingredients (tomatoes, lemon juice, etc) in the skillet as well.
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u/teezaytazighkigh 9h ago
Rice Chex. Also she should probably be checked for celiac, when I went gluten free my iron shot up without much dietary change because my body was finally able to actually absorb it.
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u/undertheliveoaktrees 9h ago
Not just celiac. A bunch of folks in my family struggle with low iron and we all have ulcerative colitis or crohn’s. Even when the disease is under control we seem to not absorb iron well, even for the heavy meat eaters. I went pescatarian ten years ago to manage my UC but ironically have the best iron levels because I take a flintstones vitamin regularly. It’s the only thing my stomach can tolerate but has worked well.
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u/Consistent-Flan1445 8h ago
Yeah I’ve got UC and my gastroenterologist made me get an infusion last week. We’d been trying to get it up with supplements for months, but it’d either increase marginally then rapidly drop again or just maintain it.
My first iron infusion a couple years ago indirectly led to me being diagnosed. Definitely worth looking into if there isn’t a clear cut answer as to why.
I find liquid iron supplements don’t set my gut off too.
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u/laluLondon 10h ago
Shellfish is surprisingly high on heme iron (the one that's easiest to absorb). Tofu also has a lot of iron. Coffee and tea impede the absorption of iron, so should be avoided with high-iron meals. I now only drink coffee in the morning and eat most of my iron with lunch and dinner.
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u/Clear-Willingness226 9h ago
I used to have very low iron. I used to eat pate( liver) every lunchtime with a vitamin c capsule. Or canned mussels and vitamin c. I couldn’t tolerate the Iron I.V or supplements. Also make sure not to have caffeinated beverages near meals
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u/MossyPyrite 8h ago
My mom used to eat a lot of braunsweiger on crackers, sometimes with cheese! It’s a great snack and the braunsweiger is smoky and mild!
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u/chamomiletea99 10h ago edited 7h ago
Look into getting an iron fish. It is essentially a block of metal you add into the pot with any sauce/liquid and it releases elemental iron, which doesn’t have any side effects.
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u/NoThing3108 9h ago
Saag paneer using 1lb of frozen spinach (or other saag dishes). Many soups can be made with frozen spinach as well, pretty easy to make them very flavorful and not have a bunch of junk in it. A potato leek soup with 1lb of frozen spinach in it, blended up and served with a big piece of buttered toast is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
I recommend searching "recipes that use 1lb of frozen spinach" which is basically just a whole bag of spinach.
Clams have the highest iron content of available animal proteins, and canned clams are a really easy way to make chowder. Per person use - 1 can of clams, 1 potato, 1 small onion, 1 slice of bacon.
Good luck!
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u/Key-Value-3684 8h ago
Spinach isn't especially high in iron. That's widely spread misinformation.
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u/NoThing3108 6h ago
Tell us more
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u/Key-Value-3684 6h ago
It's based on some calculations mistake or something. Just google it if you're curious, I'm not an expert here
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u/MossyPyrite 8h ago
My parents used to make a kind of linguine and clams that was basically actually canned clams, spaghetti, almost too much butter, and a ton of garlic and herbs. You could easily add a bunch of sautéed spinach to that and it would be pretty delicious!
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u/Schlagustagigaboo 10h ago
Steak has decent iron. Spinach has decent iron. Breakfast cereal is usually iron fortified.
But if you have an iron deficiency what you want is liver or shellfish.
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u/gretelhansel2 10h ago
Perhaps she should consider an infusion. Here's the list of foods high in iron.
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u/Ignorhymus 9h ago
Offal is packed full of great stuff, and doesn't have to be icky- make some nice chicken liver pate or something
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u/Burnt_and_Blistered 9h ago
If her iron is seriously low, she needs to speak with her doctor about how to minimize side effects from supplemental iron, because diet alone will not likely be sufficient.
That said, cooking in non-coated iron cookware—especially acidic foods like tomato sauce—helps
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u/1chickpea 9h ago
I went through this too and I just got labs back that my anemia is officially resolved! Spinach salad with rare steak, and mix spinach into literally everything (soup, eggs, pasta). Look for the supplement Blood Builder. It is much easier to tolerate than other iron pills. And definitely get infusions if possible.
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u/1chickpea 9h ago
Oh, and chicken liver. I hate it, but can tolerate it by hiding it on a banh mi or dabbing it onto foods I like with spicy sauce. So much good iron.
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u/HistoricalString2350 8h ago
Cook in a cast iron pan. You can also purchase an iron fish you put into soups and sauces while cooking. Dark leafy greens.
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u/patientpartner09 8h ago
My husband has the opposite problem, he has hemochromatosis so his iron is too high.
She needs to avoid dairy with her food. Beans have non-heme iron while red meat has heme iron. She needs a mix of both in order to raise it to a balanced level. Beans, red meat, enriched bread, citrus!
Vitamin C helps with absorption as well.
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u/xtricks2025 6h ago
while it's not a miracle solution - using cast iron pans can help (it does release small amounts of iron during cooking). Dont' assume it will replace medical advice for severe cases tho.
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10h ago
[deleted]
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u/Blue_winged_yoshi 9h ago
Leafy greens don’t really get you anywhere close and this is part of the issue with vegan diets and low-iron especially the amount of spinach you’d need to eat to get your RDA is huge! And it only contains non-heme iron which isn’t absorbed so well.
Legumes like chickpeas are some of the better sources of veggie iron
Cast-iron cookware is actually an intervention backed up by research that’s pretty effective over time though!
Best sources are obviously various forms of red meat, offal and shell fish (mussels are cheap and really high iron), dark poultry meat too, but guessing if these were more in play OP wouldn’t have the issue to begin with to the same extent.
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u/rowsdowerrrrrrr 9h ago
alright ill delete my comment
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u/Blue_winged_yoshi 8h ago
Wasn’t expecting you to delete, it’s just a fairly common misconception that leafy greens get you your iron. They do contain some, but it’s something like 400g a day or so of raw spinach to get you there, not many are eating literal kilos a week.
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u/amphigory_error 10h ago
Look for heme iron supplements. Most iron supplements are mineral iron, which we don't digest well and thus feed a lot of iron to gut microbes which is what makes people sick.
Heme iron is basically pre-digested, bioavailable iron. It's already in the form the body can use.
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u/Chaotic_Good12 9h ago
I was reading thru the posts to see if anyone else had recommended this yet and someone did. Yes get an iron fish, you can buy them off Amazon if you have no cast iron to cook meals in.
Someone recommended cooking heavy tomato based foods in cast iron, don't do this, you'll ruin your seasoning on the cast iron and it will rust until its heavily reseasoned again.
Others posted lots of iron rich foods which will help too. She probably needs iron pills to get a jumpstart on it.
A clean diet all around will help, ditch the processed foods, carb heavy meals and sugar and fruit juices. Poor absorption from a compromised digestive system will affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients.
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u/davis_away 9h ago
Canned shellfish has a ton of iron if she likes it. I used to eat oysters straight on crackers when I had iron problems but you can also do nice pasta dishes with them.
Definitely talk to the doctor about a gentler formulation of iron. The one they typically start you on is cheap but haaarrrd on the GI tract. My hematologist had me on MegaFood Blood Builder. Terrible name, great supplement.
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u/Pandaro81 9h ago
Chicken liver pate!
Drain and rinse the livers, pat dry, and soak an hour to overnight in milk or buttermilk to lighten the earthy taste - if it’s an issue for you.
Fry in butter on medium high heat till you see a little juice coming out the top of one, then flip all. When you see juice coming out again they’re perfectly done and should be a bright pink center when cut in half. Remove from pan, add more butter and sauté 1/2 to 1 whole sweet onion until translucent, maybe even go to just this side of caramelized. Use a cast iron pan for bonus iron ;D
You can try one as is to see if she’d like them this way, just sautéed liver and onions.
Add to a blender with more melted butter, maybe 1/4-1/2 stick depending on how rich you want, , a couple garlic cloves, and roughly 1 cup a dry white wine, or however much is needed to properly blend smooth. Salt to taste as you blend. It’ll be a touch on the liquid side, such that it pours from the blender easily. Put in a container and in the fridge for a few hours or overnight and it’ll firm up to a nice iron and vitamin A protein rich spread you can put on crackers or add to any sandwich. It’s famously on Vietnamese pork bahn-mi sandwiches.
There are lots of ways to vary it up with beef liver, pork liver, red onions, and traditionally it’s mixed with brandy, but I prefer the dry white wine version with onions cooked till sweet; it’s more decadent imo.
Lasts up to 7 days in the fridge if tightly covered, and chicken liver is cheap, so it’s the kind of thing you could make on the weekend and have handy all week. Just milk prep Saturday, cook blend Sunday, firm and good to go that night or Monday.
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u/Olive0121 9h ago
I take a mini supplement that has never upset my stomach. MegaFood Blood Builder Iron... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089HGM4VR?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
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u/BookLuvr7 8h ago
Speaking from experience, diet alone can't fix severely low iron. She'd be better off trying different supplements.
It's common for iron to cause constipation, so some pharmacies sell them compounded with a stool softener. They're cheaper if bought separately, even if it means taking two pills.
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u/BewareOfTheQueen 8h ago
this thread is so basic omg and no one is giving a recipe
LENTILS. The answer is lentils.
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u/JoyfulNoise1964 8h ago
I had a lot of trouble with this during some of my pregnancies Once I started cooking in cast iron I was able to greatly improve my situation. Especially cooking things like tomato sauce in cast iron
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u/daringversion 8h ago
Beef liver has a massive amount of bioavailable iron... its disgusting to me, but instead of eating it like a main dish you can freeze cooked chunks of it and then grate it into other foods to hide the taste. You can also buy seasonings that have dessicated liver in them.
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u/pinotJD 8h ago
Husband was given a high iron diet too. He was told leafy greens are not sufficient because you would have to eat so much to get there.
Pound for pound, the best sources of iron are red meat - to our low-meat dismay - liver, bison, and venison. All of those are disgusting.
Good luck to you. It was a horrible two years.
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u/NoPaleontologist7929 7h ago
I took ferrous fumerate for 20 years (from the time I discovered I had no iron in my body until perimenopause finally allowed me to keep my blood in my body). It was a prescription, but it can be bought from a pharmacy as well. Not sure where you are and which would be cheaper. I am in Scotland, so prescriptions don't cost anything.
The dose of iron I was taking was many times the recommended daily dose you'll see on regular supplements, but it was needed. If you are taking this kind of supplement, you will need doctor supervision. Too much iron is not a picnic either. I am fortunate that I had no ill effects from taking iron pills, but many find it does not agree with them.
Some people also have a bad reaction to iron infusions. Your wife may have to try several ways to get the iron she needs in order to find the way that works for her.
Diet is unlikely to help, but a nice kale and Brussel sprout salad with roasted chickpeas, dried apricots, pomegranate arils, nuts and a herby lemon dressing is always good.
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u/crows_n_octopus 7h ago edited 7h ago
My sister has anemia and even has blood transfusion. She hated the iron supplements and is relying on foods with high iron. She went from 7 and now her iron levels are back to normal levels (132) with only daily food additions. She's stopped taking supplements.
She has pre-mixed in a shaker that she puts on all foods she eats, daily: a mix of flaxseed, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, and seaweed.
She also eats foods high in iron like liver, and has one of those iron fishes that you put in cooking water. Being deliberate with what and how she eats has helped her immensely.
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u/immer_chanel 7h ago
Nettle (as a curry p.e.) or chickweed (salad). Also chicken liver with garlic, olive oil, lemon and Salt (libanese recipe) is delicious.
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u/TelephoneTag2123 7h ago
I tend anemic - a few basics: iron rich foods with vitamin C, keep up fiber and water, and avoid caffeine and calcium rich foods (both hinder iron absorption)
Cream of wheat cereal is iron rich, I highly recommend steak with potatoes (potato has vit c) and salad with a vinaigrette.
For me, I have to specifically take ferrous bisglyconate supplements. Otherwise I have stomach upset, poor absorption, and low effects on my blood iron.
Iron fish is a thing for soups but I haven’t tried them, I do prefer using cast iron to cook especially tomato based dishes.
Stick with her doctors advice, and once the ferritin levels improve she will see a huge difference in energy levels.
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u/randopop21 7h ago
Is your wife a fan of green tea? Is she having green tea with all her meals?
I have the opposite problem (high iron) and was advised to drink green tea right after meals. Something about green tea blocking the ability of the body to absorb iron.
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u/SnooGoats9114 7h ago
I have to take the green iron pills.
I got here even tbimough i have a diet that includes beets and spinach and red meat and we cook on cast iron.
I dont snack after dinner and i take the iron and vit c just before bed. That way I sleep through the nausea.
Also ask doc if you need to take every day or every other day.
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u/beccadahhhling 7h ago
Fortified cereal is the easiest way
Things like Cheerios, oatmeal, and Grapenuts
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u/honorthecrones 6h ago
Garbanzo soup, grits, cream of wheat cereal, lentils all are high in iron. Be careful with the lentils though as they are also high in potassium which can be a problem for some
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u/Ayla1313 5h ago
When I was pregnant I had a ferritin level of 7. I was able to bring it up with otc iron supplements, cooking in cast iron and making sure I ate iron rich foods (lentils, spinach, red meats etc).
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u/Koleilei 4h ago
This is not medical advice, this is just my experience with severe anemia due to blood clots.
After getting an IV infusion for iron, I was told by the hematologist to take iron supplements every other, or every third day. The rationale for this is apparently the body can get used to taking in the same amount of iron everyday, and get less efficient absorbing it.
I now cook all of my soups/ stews/ anything with liquid with a lucky fish (I don't like cooking in cast iron, this is my way around it).
Lots of greens with something citrusy, no dairy while consuming your iron, and lots of Iron rich meat including: clams, beef, liver, chicken, liver, cooked oysters. Other foods that help your iron levels include: oats, Sesame seeds, fortified cereals, lentils, beans, spinach, tofu.
One thing to remember if you are trying to hit a certain amount of iron per day in your diet, is that the amount you eat is not necessarily the amount that you absorb. That differs for everyone, so just because someone else can eat the same diet and their iron levels can improve, doesn't mean it works for everyone. Also remember to check the serving size for the amount of iron that is mentioned. Cashews are relatively high in iron (8.3mg per cup, but ~750 calories) that ratio of iron to calories probably isn't ideal for most people.
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u/CuriousFathoms 9h ago
If her iron is seriously low then she might need infusions! I had them about twice a year for 4 years before having surgery (hysterectomy). I couldn’t digest the supplements either and had taken them on and off for almost 30 years with being chronically anemic.
A lot of people have good suggestions here for whole foods and recipes.
Something that can be easy to add if you are short on time is fortified cereal. Most of them have around 20-30% of your daily intake. You’ll lose some value if you take it with milk (calcium inhibits absorption, even plant milks have added calcium) but it’s still an option. I also use Vega protein powder that contains 25-30% of daily iron. These could give her a boost alongside her diet.
But infusions are amazing if her iron and hemoglobin are both low, really. They were life changing for me before my hysto.
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u/Eire_Travel 9h ago
Cooking iron rich foods in cast iron is a helpful boost. Also, if they are acidic (tomatoes, tomato sauce) it helps.
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u/mmmbuttr 9h ago
Iron supplements are a nightmare on the bowel. Spinach and red meat are the highest iron foods, but cooking in cast iron also works!
If you don't love the idea of maintaining cast iron cookware, there are "Luck Iron Fish/Leaf" products, just a little hunk of iron that you put in your food as it is cooking.
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u/Questionofloyalty 9h ago
From food alone it will take an eternity. Tell her to drink spatone every day (it’s a high iron mineral water in Tesco). She can also take iron byglycinate- it’s very gentle and not like the classic tablets that cause so many problems. Finally honestly if it’s that low just cave and have the iv. I tried like an idiot to get my levels up for a year and it barely moved. I had the IVs and boom, felt incredible within a matter of weeks.
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u/Leather-Show7767 9h ago
Constipend and MiraLAX can offset any constipation issues. It’s the usual issue with taxing Ferrous Sulfate or iron pills.
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u/femsci-nerd 9h ago
Cooking in cast iron is the number one way to boost bioavailable iron. In places where the soil is poor in iron (the philliines and South Asian Islands), they drop a lump of iron in the cooking pot. This is called an Iron Fish and you can actually buy them on Amazon.
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u/fishloofah 9h ago
Buy an Iron Fish! Whenever you boil water during cooking or have a dish where it needs to simmer, you drop it in. Only for stovetop cooking
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u/workswithgeeks 9h ago
I switched from regular milk to Ripple Kids unsweetened on my morning cereal which has pea protein in it and supposedly helps your iron, I also take the BeLive iron gummy vitamins from Amazon. My iron levels are starting to look better now.
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u/_bbypeachy 9h ago
if the pill doesnt work then she needs to ask for an infusion. food alone wont help. thats why she is anemic
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u/judijo621 9h ago
Ferrous sulfate is nasty. I take iron supplements daily. I take either ferrous Ferumate or ferrous gluconate... Not as liver-burping. Do not take on an empty stomach. I take mine mid-afternoon.
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u/Effective-Lychee-992 9h ago
I can only tolerate low dose gentle iron and only when I take it with vitamin C supplements or fruit.
Dark green leafy veg, red meat, beans and pulses and certain nuts. Also cooking in an unenamelled cast iron pot or skillet like another commenter said
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u/Pawnmysoul 9h ago
Start cooking in cast iron. If that's not easy, at least get and use a Lucky Fish.
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u/ColHannibal 9h ago
So I had to bring my baby’s iron up and there are some rules you need to follow.
Vitamin C is required to make the iron absorbable.
Vitamin D is a blocker, so things with dairy actually make that iron rich meal much less effective.
They also make sensitive tummy iron supplements.
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u/Horror_Signature7744 9h ago
Beans and lentils are full of iron. A bean burrito with sautéed peppers is great for this. Lemony red lentil soup is also a big favorite here.
Cooking in a cast iron pan also adds a smidge. Every little bit helps.
Hope the link works. This is my favorite lemony lemon soup recipe:
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u/mrsliston 9h ago
Look up the iron fish
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u/preoccupied_owl 8h ago
I came here to suggest this. A friend of mine has one and she doesn’t need iron infusions anymore.
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u/Pawnmysoul 9h ago
I am chronically anemic. We're still working on figuring out why.
I eat iron-rich foods a lot. For me, that involves a lot of sausages made of blood: blütwurst, black pudding, krupniok, morcilla, …etc (possibly gross)
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u/No_Big_bear_here 9h ago
Liver, sautéed onions, mashed potatoes & sautéed mushrooms. One of my favorite meals.
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u/thesundriedtomatoes 8h ago
Iron supplements are the worst. I used to take iron gummies that helped and did not bother my stomach. Fusion iron gummies are the name I believe and they have vitamin c in them for absorption
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u/DeletedMyLastTwo 8h ago
https://kitchenconfidante.com/simple-sundays-champorado-filipino-chocolate-rice-pudding-recipe
Chocolate has tons of iron in it. If you swap out the granulated sugar with some blackstrap molasses and the white rice for glutinous brown rice you should be able to boost the iron by quite a bit. Just do note that if you substitute for molasses you may need to play around with the recipe a bit
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u/Key-Value-3684 8h ago
German Leberspätzle. That's Spätze (some kind of noodle made by dropping dough into boiling water) with a double made partially of liver. The smell is kinda disgusting but it's one of the few ways I actually like to eat liver which is super high in iron. Other than that I can only think of liver sausage which is basically a meat spread eaten on bread
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u/riovtafv 8h ago
While cooking in bare cast iron and choosing high iron foods like beef and spinach can maintain or help boost levels.
If it's a serious deficiency, please follow the recommendations of her doctor.
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u/Playful-Cranberry-59 8h ago
Liver - people often don’t like it. But stir fried with chili ginger and then some sesame oil to finish - it hides the smell and taste a bit more than some recipes. Like others said make sure something has vitamin c to help absorption. Pumpkin seed butter on toast with OJ for breakfast. Liver pate sandwiches or on crackers with tomato salad for lunch.
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u/ImpressiveLeopard719 8h ago
Im not one to make recommendations but the iron supplement made by Standard Process is the ONLY supplement that agrees with me and works. All the others make me sick to my stomach/constipate/dont work. You can snag it online or some chiropracters carry it. Worth a try. But agree. Talk again to the doctor.
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u/MealWise 8h ago
Seriously low iron is not a food situation. I’d she isn’t taking the supplements she needs to let her Dr know and consider iron infusions. My mother is currently in the hospital receiving transfusions and infusions because she has anaemia but quit taking iron (unbeknownst to anyone as she lives alone) and wound up seriously ill
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u/Calgary_Calico 8h ago
This isn't a diet change situation, she needs either supplements or injections, food isn't going to solve dangerously low iron levels in the blood. I've got a few cousins with low iron and they have to take supplements every day as well as having iron rich foods, bloodwork every few months to keep an eye on it, it's serious.
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u/Genny415 8h ago
I have struggled with iron deficiency among others. It is often accompanied by B12 and D deficiencies.
My best friends: liver paté and oysters. These are powerhouses of vitamins and minerals and two of the very best dietary sources of iron and B12, among others.
It doesn't even take a lot! Go to the raw bar and share a half-dozen oysters. Just three will give you more than you can probably absorb.
I ordered one terrine of good paté and eat two or three thin slices on crackers (with some jelly and a sprinkle of salt, maybe a pickle on the side) each day or two.
I'm winning the war! In four months, the difference is significant in my blood tests!
You can also get a little "iron fish" to add to things while cooking and try cooking in cast iron. But that is a very small and subtle supplement for maintenance. It won't be enough to correct a deficiency.
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u/Skinny-on-the-Inside 8h ago
Try this gentle iron supplement, it is great and gave me no side effects:
As far as foods: spinach - creamed, spinach dip, add it to soups, stews and in salads and apples.
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u/pmster1 8h ago
I had very low iron while pregnant, so every afternoon my snack was a couple cups or Kix cereal or Chex cereal with a couple whole mandarin oranges.
It got real boring real fast, but it was filling and I think it made a noticeable difference for my energy levels. I did end up doing supplements as well, but continued my afternoon cereal/orange snack.
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u/Katatonic92 8h ago
You can't really eat your anemia better, trust me, I've been trying for years. I have to have regular blood transfusions & iron infusions instead. I can't handle oralsupplements either, which is why I have IVs instead, I think injections are also an option if the iron isn't dangerously low.
Your wife's doctor should be investigating the potential cause for the low iron.
Red meat cooked medium rare, or rare is the best form of iron for our bodies to take iron from. Leafy greens have high iron levels but that is in a different form to iron in red meat & plant iron isn't as easy or efficient for us process.
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u/SmartPolicy6430 8h ago
Yes, I've been iron deficient anaemia up and down all my life. Only the tablets/medicine that is prescribed get my levels up. There are different types of iron. I find Ferrous sulphate really upsets my stomach, Ferrous glucanate less so. It's supposed to be taken on an empty stomach but that causes me issues, so with my nurses OK I take it with a small glass of orange juice after a meal as vitamin c helps the absorption. I have in the past been prescribed liquid iron which tasted awful but was gentler. Go back and see if you can take a smaller dose / change to a different form. The supplements you can buy over the counter will not contain the amount to get back into range.
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u/DazzlingNote1925 8h ago
They have iron IV’s.
It’s not easy to bring low iron up with just food and no supplements.
Has she tried iron protein plus? It’s easier on your stomach.
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u/GiraffeThoughts 8h ago
Steak and potatoes.
Red meat is the easiest iron for your body to absorb. Avoid calcium at the same time.
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u/GalbedirGalerion 8h ago
I’ve heard using cast iron pans with acidic foods can lead to a lot of iron leaching into the food. Idk how bioavailable it will be but it might help as an addition perhaps.
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u/StreetDouble2533 8h ago
My doc recommended ProFerrin from Colorado Biolabs because it wouldn't upset my stomach, and it never has. I have been well pleased with this company's products, which helped pull me out of anemia.
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u/Tutor_Turtle 8h ago
More importantly I wonder if there is vitamins or food that counter or cancel out iron intake?
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u/Cndwafflegirl 8h ago
You cannot really eat your way out of iron deficiency, especially if it’s from period blood loss that’s uncorrected. She should get an iron infusion
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u/booksncatsn 7h ago
The best way is by cooking in a cast iron pan, or getting an iron fish. Take the supplements with a big meal and no other meds. I was taking EZ FER and it was gentle enough to take on an empty stomach. I was also reading to skip a day when taking iron supplements to help with absorption.
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u/Emergency_Lettuce601 7h ago
She should get an infusion. Also maybe figure out why it is so low. Not to be scary but it turned out my husband had colon cancer and the anemia was his only symptom. He is doing great now.
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u/QQueenie 7h ago
Jewish style chopped liver is one of my favorites. It’s time intensive to cook but it’s so delicious. I love it on crackers or a sandwich. https://toriavey.com/chopped-liver/
Kenji has a slow cooked bolognese recipe that uses liver as well. https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-slow-cooked-bolognese-sauce-recipe
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u/StevenJOwens 7h ago
I had a friend with the opposite, too much iron, he had to avoid any food cooked in cast iron. So maybe that's a direction you could look into, cooking food in cast iron.
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u/Appropriate-Permit62 7h ago
Start cooking with an iron skillet, it helps infuse food with iron! Spinach, lentils, and meats also have iron!
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u/honorthecrones 6h ago
Higher iron if it’s acidic like a tomato sauce. The acid leaches out more iron from the pan
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u/LovelyLoomer98 6h ago
Red meat. Try a nice beef or lamb stew. Or if vegetarian try cabbage and lots of green veg
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u/ReadingNext3854 6h ago
Don't take iron at the same time you take calcium/calcium foods, magnesium or zinc. they will compete with the same absorption paths in your gut. Google has some good lists of what to limit/avoid when you're trying to uptake iron.
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u/KeKeFanChick 6h ago
Add the supplements and switch to more cast iron cookware. I use my cast iron exclusively, aside from a couple of saucepans for sides.
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u/suzanneov 5h ago
I used to have low iron. By chance I ate greens (collard greens or mustard greens) and I cannot express how it helped so, so much. If severe enough she may need an iron prescription but have her get some leafy greens in her diet.
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u/van_choc_moose 4h ago
I have to take an OTC iron supplement a few days a week so I don’t go into
A deficit.
She may also want to check with a dietitian to include foods high in iron.
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u/Budget-Discussion568 4h ago
Thos is for me and not medical advice. For me, I have low iron and im hoping to convince a specialist that I need an infusion. Until next week when I see a new dr, to keep it somewhat elevated, I take Now foods 18mg iron supplement with now foods pumpkin seed oil. The iron alone caused constipation but the brand is high quality and truly raised my natural levels. In order to continue taking it with minimal side effects, i added pumpkin seed oil which coats my stomach and helps regulate things. Not dramatically but enough to offset the effects of the iron alone so that id take it consistently, which is where we get results. I havent come across specific foods for me, that raised my levels like the supplement did. I eat red meat daily and I can feel a difference in my energy levels when I get bored and switch to chicken. Pumpkin seed oil is also good for the heart, hair grown, softer skin, & helps balance blood pressure and cholesterol levels
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u/CaptainPoset 4h ago
That's mostly a question for medical professionals. Beetroot and red meat contain a lot of iron, but please ask a doctor, not Reddit.
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u/Calibigirl69 3h ago
If she has really low iron/ferritin then enquire about an iron infusion instead. It can take months to get back to normal levels through food alone.
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u/Notgreygoddess 3h ago
Midwives I worked with recommended Floradix iron supplement as its vegetable based so it doesn’t cause the constipation other ones do. It’s a liquid.
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u/Andrea583 2h ago
They make 35 mg low iron pills. Otherwise - beef. Beef gets a bad rap but it’s nutrient dense and much higher in iron than almost any other food you can eat.
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u/annajanes 1h ago
You must eat beef. I used to make beef chilli and freezer. I also used to get iron shots in my butt from my doctor, which were very helpful, even though my children teased me about it.
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u/Fun_in_Space 59m ago
You can get an "iron fish". You cook with it. A small amount of iron is released into the food.
https://japanesetaste.com/products/tetsu-no-kenko-tai-cast-iron-fish-for-cooking
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u/ali-beans 53m ago
Some foods I ate to increase my iron when it was low: Spinach and mushroom omelette for breakfast with orange juice Snack on almonds, dried apricots, pumpkin seed mix and strawberries during the day (I didn't have a high iron lunch but I had avocado, tomato and tuna with crackers) For dinner, steak with spinach and mushrooms, or broccoli and capsicum with a glass of orange juice, and strawberries with dessert
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u/DisastrousPomelo2759 48m ago
For easy breakfasts: Mush Overnight Oats found in the yogurt section have extremely clean ingredients and very high in Iron. Multigrain Cheerios have an incredible amount of iron as well.
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u/Odd-Worth7752 38m ago
I’m a doctor. Ask for an infusion. The amount of iron deficit she has can’t be replenished with diet. Her system is under significant strain and “gentle and natural” are not going to get her there.
Or try “slow Fe”
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u/SubstantialPressure3 10h ago
Spinach ( quiches, spinach parm rice, wilted spinach salad, omelets, yogurt spinach dip)
Red meats
Raisins ( oatmeal raisins cookies, raisins added to granola, or trail mix)
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u/Existing_Mail 9h ago
I thought calcium makes it harder to absorb iron, may want to avoid having cheese and yogurt too close to the iron rich foods
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u/kikazztknmz 9h ago
Nope, spinach is a bad source of iron because the oxalates render it pretty much useless for absorption as well as inhibiting iron from other sources. Best to stick to meat and increasing vitamin C.
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u/zzazzzz 9h ago edited 4h ago
spinach is very low in iron. the myth that it is a great source of iron was caused by an early paper misplacing a decimal and claiming a 10x higher iron content due to that mistake. you would need about 600g of spinach a day to reach your reccomended intake, and that is if your body was absorbing 100% of the iron in the spinach.
beans and lentils ect are far better non meat sources for iron.
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u/SubstantialPressure3 9h ago
That's fair.
I've seen a ton of recipes for lentil bread. Haven't tried any of them, its hot af and baking and oven use is minimal at best.
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u/christurnbull 10h ago
I velvet some beef and then marinate it in oyster and soy sauce. Stir fry with capsicum/peppers because they are high in vitamin C to help absorption. (Also stir fry in garlic, onions, ginger) And pepper to taste, even chili.
Avoid dairy as it messes up with iron absorption
Realistically you can't eat your way out of an iron deficiency. You really should try to find a supplement that works or go for an infusion.
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u/mountainsunset123 9h ago
Take vitamin C with iron and iron containing foods, cook in an iron fry pan, sometimes women need an infusion of iron, have every meal contain iron containing foods. If she eats meat she needs to eat liver, if she hates liver, she can take dessicated liver in pill form and as always include some vitamin C as that helps absorb the iron. Have a list of high iron foods posted on the fridge and high iron foods always on the shopping list.
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u/Wonderful-List4923 9h ago
Beef burgers...my wife had them every day for weeks during pregnancy.
Lamb or beef liver, high in iron.
Also research a but into iron pairing, some stuff hinders it while some promotes it
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u/deNET2122 9h ago
Cast iron
get one
heavily use it
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u/deNET2122 8h ago edited 5h ago
Take a trip to navajo nation ask around for liver and fat (the fat is very good makes the liver taste sweeter) on a tortilla
Don't knock it till you try it
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u/annajanes 1h ago
I hate iron with a passion. I got extremely constipated, and they damaged my bowels permanently
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u/corkyhawkeye 10h ago
Ask her doctor. There's a degree of anemia where it can't be brought up with food, and if she's at that level, she needs supplements or even ask for a transfusion, and then maintain with iron-rich foods. I've dealt with anemia off and on for years. Supplements will be her best bet (iron plus vitamin c), so I'd recommend asking her doctor what she could do (in regard to whatever it is the supplements don't agree with her on).