What is iron and what does it do?
Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles1. Iron’s most important contribution to health is preventing iron deficiency anemia and resulting problems1.
How can I get iron in my plant-based diet?
Iron is found naturally in vegetables or legumes such as white beans, lentils, tofu/tempeh, swiss chard, spinach, kidney beans, and peas. Also nuts and some dried fruits, such as raisins contain iron.
And there are even more legumes, nuts and seeds, vegetables, and fruits that contain iron2.
Note! The extra benefit of legumes is that they contain calcium and protein!
Garden of Vegan makes it easy to increase your iron intake with our healthy, organic, and delicious meals, pantry boxes, and produce boxes.
Garden of Vegan creates delicious meals full of vegetables and legumes that are high in vitamins and minerals including iron. Select your meals with lots of legumes to maximize your iron intake and add them to your meal plans. In addition, there are plenty of pantry items high in iron that you can enjoy with your meals. And, add some organic fruit from our produce boxes to aid in iron absorption.
What other factors help you absorb iron?
Your body can absorb iron from plant sources better when it is eaten with foods that contain vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli1.
Garden of Vegan's NDIS participants can also increase their vitamin and mineral intake with our healthy meals.
Eligible NDIS participants can take advantage of healthy, vitamin-rich meals and only pay for the food cost component of the meals they order. NDIS Participants and NDIS plan managers, learn more about Garden of Vegan NDIS plans, fill out our NDIS form and we'll contact you soon as possible.
Take control of your nutrition by feeding your body healthy plant-based foods and have Garden of Vegan deliver healthy, delicious vegan food direct to your door.
Garden of Vegan has six meal plans that can help you increase your iron intake!
Visit our Meal Plans to Suit Your Lifestyle section and select a nutritional meal plan that is high in legumes or leafy vegetables!
Read more Garden of Vegan nutrition articles
How Can I Increase My Protein Intake?
Calories, Protein, Carbs, And Fat, What Does It All Mean?
Great Plant-based Sources of Calcium
References:
1. Iron - Fact Sheet for Consumers
2. Vegetarian Foods That Are Loaded With Iron - healthline
