Many people in the United States don’t get enough iron. Your body uses iron to make proteins that carry oxygen and other proteins from your lungs to all the other parts of your body. If you’re looking for tasty ways to increase your intake of this essential mineral, there are plenty of options.
Swipe through to learn what you can eat to get more iron.
Seafood—both fish and shellfish—can be a good source of iron. Clams, mussels and oysters are all iron-rich options. In terms of creatures that swim, consider tuna, sardines, mackerel and haddock.
Many nuts and seeds are good for you in so many ways, you may as well enjoy their iron-rich benefits, too. Look for pistachios, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, macadamia nuts. Good-for-you seeds include pumpkin, sesame, flax and hemp.
Red meat is high in iron, protein, selenium and zinc. Beef, lamb and venison are good choices in this category if you’re trying to increase your iron intake. Organ meats like liver and intestines are extremely high in iron, but they're not everyone’s cup of tea.
They’re maybe a bit high in sugar, but dried apricots are so delicious and an excellent source of iron. They contain almost seven times more ironthan fresh fruit. Dried apricots are also a good source of fiber, potassium and beta-carotene.
Turkey, too, is a good choice for getting iron into your diet, especially the dark meat. Dark turkey meat is also high in protein and several B vitamins and minerals. Turkey in general is low in fat and it’s easy to digest.
How about some sweet and delicious strawberries? They’re a good source of iron. Eat them straight out of the package, toss them in smoothies, or get really fancy and make a strawberry tart or cobbler.
We saved the best for last. Bust open that Ghirardelli — dark chocolate is a terrific source of iron. Be sure to select chocolate with at least 45 percent cacao solids. And chocolate with nuts? Even better!