Five food items to increase your blood iron naturally

Iron is an essential nutrient required by the body for numerous health benefits such as boosting immunity and haemoglobin, fighting Anaemia, reducing fatigue and building muscle endurance.

Iron deficiency can result in various health conditions including Anaemia. According to Healthline, nearly 30% of the global population is suffering from Anaemia due to prolonged iron deficiency.

Sometimes, it becomes difficult to check the intake of every nutrient amidst busy life schedules. Do not worry if you are suffering from iron deficiency. Try the below-mentioned food items to enhance iron level in your blood naturally-

Nuts and seeds

Pumpkin, sesame and flax seeds are rich sources of iron. 2 tablespoons of these seeds contain 1.2 - 4.2mg of iron. Seeds are not only beneficial sources of iron but they also provide you with enough fibre, plant protein, magnesium, zinc and antioxidants. One can also consume these seeds to extract omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

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When it comes to nuts, you can choose almonds, cashew and pine nuts which contain almost 1-1.6 mg of iron per ounce. Like seeds, nuts are also a good source of fat, vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and protein. Avoid roasting nuts as it can drain their nutritional value to some extent.

Leafy green vegetables

Leafy green vegetables such as per cooked cup of spinach has 2.5 - 6.4 mg of iron. According to Healthline, spinach contains more iron in comparison to red meat and salmon fish. For example, 100grams of spinach contains 1.1 times more iron than the same amount of red meat and 2.2 times more iron than 100gm of salmon. Similarly, broccoli and cabbage contain 1-1.8 mg of iron per cooked cup.

Whole grains

Whole grains are beneficial for various reasons. It helps in reducing obesity levels, cardiac diseases and type 2 diabetes. Amaranth is one of the ancient grains that are gluten-free and provide 5.2mg of iron per cooked cup.

Oats

Adding oats is another good idea to make your diet iron-rich. 1 cup of cooked oats provides 3.4mg of iron. It is also a good source of plant protein, zinc and magnesium. Oats also promote gut health as they contain beta-glucan.

Fruits

Some fruits also provide a relatively high amount of iron. Prune juice is one such fruit that helps increase iron levels in the body. A 237ml glass of juice provides 3 mg of iron, not only iron prune is another good source of fibre, potassium, vitamin C and magnesium. Mulberries provide 2.6mg of iron per cup and help increase the level of vitamin C and antioxidants.