There is a lot to be said for following a vegan or vegetarian diet; an excess of iron generally isn’t one of them, particularly vegan iron sources.
Food has two types of iron: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is derived from hemoglobin and is found in animal-based foods, notably meat and mollusks. Non-heme iron is found in plant-based foods and isn’t as easily absorbed as heme iron. In fact, heme iron is absorbed two to three times more efficiently than non-heme iron – so if you are avoiding hemoglobin-based food (as in, animal products) it’s important to make it up with iron-rich plants.
How much iron does a body need? The estimated Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for iron in males aged 19 and older is 8 mg daily; females aged 19 – 50 should get 18 mg daily, and 8 mg daily for females 51 and older.
Here Are Some of the Richest Plant-Based Sources of Vegan Iron:
