Iron-rich foods for vegans

If you want to get enough iron, you don't necessarily have to eat a lot of meat. We'll show you how to meet your iron needs as a vegan.

1. Why pay attention to iron levels

Iron is particularly important for the body as it is one of the essential trace elements . Since the body cannot produce iron itself , it relies on a sufficient supply of iron through food .

Iron-rich foods therefore play an important role in meeting daily iron requirements. Especially for high-performers and office athletes , iron-rich foods should be part of their daily essentials .

Iron is responsible for oxygen transport in the body and is involved in many important cellular functions . It ensures that everyday heroes are alert, productive, and fit.

If the iron level is permanently too low , this can result in iron deficiency , which can lead to tiredness , fatigue , lack of energy and a generally reduced level of performance .

Natural stimulants can provide short-term relief . However, for long-term performance, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with iron-rich foods and to focus more on them in the future.

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2. What is a normal iron level?

To determine iron levels, other parameters such as ferritin are measured in addition to the protein complex hemoglobin , which binds oxygen in red blood cells . The normal iron level depends primarily on the person's age and gender .

However, normal values ​​for hemoglobin, and thus for iron levels, are considered to be 12 to 16 g/dl for women and 13 to 18 g/dl for men . Daily iron requirements vary between men and women, as well as with age.

For men and postmenopausal women, the daily iron requirement is 10 mg per day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have a significantly higher iron requirement of 20 and 30 mg per day , respectively.

Women of childbearing age need 15 mg of iron to meet their daily iron needs. To meet these daily iron requirements, iron-rich foods should be included in the diet .

For vegans and vegetarians, there are a number of vegan and vegetarian iron-rich foods that help meet iron needs.

3. Iron-containing foods table

Even as a vegan, you can meet your iron needs with iron-rich vegetarian and vegan foods . You can find out which foods contain iron in the tables.

The tables listed give you an overview of various vegan iron-containing foods and their iron content per 100g.

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Iron-rich foods for vegans

*The information refers to an amount per 100g.

Iron-rich vegetables

Fruit with lots of iron

Iron-containing nuts, kernels and seeds

Iron-containing (pseudo)cereals

Iron-containing legumes

Iron-rich vegetables

Iron is particularly found in green leafy vegetables and herbs . For iron-rich vegetables, you can choose basil , nettle , parsley , salsify , Jerusalem artichoke , chard , or spinach .

With 7mg of iron per 100g, basil has a very high iron content among iron-rich vegetables. If you want to increase your iron intake , combine iron-rich vegetables with vitamin C. For example, by mixing lemon juice into your salad dressing.

Pulses such as lentils and chickpeas are also good sources of iron and should ideally be soaked overnight. This makes them more digestible and increases iron absorption. Other iron-rich vegetables include cabbage and beetroot.

Fruit with lots of iron

Dried fruits are a good source of iron . Dried peaches contain 6.5 mg of iron per 100 g and are a good source of iron . Dried apricots , figs , bananas , raisins , and dates are also good sources of iron .

Seeds, kernels and nuts rich in iron

Pumpkin seeds are definitely among the top performers when it comes to iron content in seeds , kernels , and nuts . With 12.5 mg of iron per 100 g, they have a high iron content and can be easily incorporated into salads or muesli .

Other seeds, kernels and nuts that are high in iron include unpeeled hemp seeds , flax seeds , pistachios , sunflower seeds , pine nuts and iron-rich nuts such as almonds , hazelnuts and cashews .

Iron in meat

Meat is widely considered the primary source of iron and the perfect iron supplier among iron-rich foods. However, this myth is only partially true . With an iron content of between 1 and 2.5 mg per 100 g, meat provides significantly less iron than many plant-based foods .

What has given meat its good reputation is its better digestibility . The iron in meat is better absorbed by the body because it contains so-called heme iron —a combination of hemoglobin and iron .

However, you do n't have to be a meat lover to meet your iron needs . Vegan iron-rich foods such as nuts , seeds, green leafy vegetables , and legumes are excellent plant-based sources of iron and often contain many other nutrients and vitamins in addition to iron .

4. Iron and spinach

For many years, spinach was considered a miracle iron weapon . In 1890, physiologist Gustav von Bunge investigated the iron content of dried spinach and found an impressive iron content of 35 mg per 100 g .

However, since fresh spinach consists of 90 percent water , the iron content of fresh spinach had to be corrected by one decimal place , so that fresh spinach has an iron content of 3.5 mg per 100 g .

The iron content in spinach is not much higher than that of other vegetables . Basil, for example, has 7mg of iron per 100g, which is twice as high as spinach.

5. Conclusion

As a vegan, you have access to many iron-rich foods that can help you optimally meet your daily iron needs . Since your body can't produce iron on its own, it's important to ensure you consume enough iron-rich foods .

As a vegan, you have access to iron-rich vegetables , iron-rich kernels , nuts and seeds, iron-rich fruits , iron-rich grains and also iron-rich pulses .

Spinach doesn't contain as much iron as was long believed . Herbs , seeds , nuts , and dried fruit are particularly good sources of iron and are easy to take with you on the go or when you're busy.