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by guest blogger Caroline Praderio, food and nutrition writer for Prevention magazine and EatClean.com
So you got the memo that excessive red meat consumption is a disaster for the environment and your health, not to mention the animals, and that we should all eat less of it.
But won’t eating less beef reduce our intake of iron, a mineral necessary for oxygen delivery to cells and maintaining our energy levels?
Actually, no. Despite the fact that lean ground beef, which comes in a serving size of 4 ounces, contains 2 5 mg, or 14% of your daily value), there are numerous delicious plant and animal sources of this mineral that have a much lower carbon footprint and, in some cases, even more iron than beef.
It’s crucial to remember that iron from animals is absorbed more easily than iron from plants. “So vegetarians and vegans should consume around 1. According to Sharon Palmer, RDN, author of The Plant Powered Diet, 8 times the daily recommended value. For women aged 31 to 50, that equates to approximately 32 mg per day, and for women over 50, it equals 14 mg per day. By consuming it along with a source of vitamin C, such as a squeeze of lemon juice, you can also improve the absorption of plant-based iron.
In light of this, take a look at these eight delectable foods that contain more iron than a serving of beef.
Kidney beans are loaded with fiber and protein (and they make a damn good addition to this clean three-bean salad). The 4 mg of iron (22% DV) in each cup is an added bonus.
Youll get 6 mg of iron (36% DV) in each cup of cooked spinach–plus almost one-third of your daily value for calcium and more than a full days supply of vitamin A. (Theres a reason Popeye loved this stuff!)Advertisement
Spinach not your thing? A cup of cooked swiss chard delivers a respectable 4 mg of iron (22% DV). (We love it in this vegetarian lasagna.)
Heat up 1 cup of frozen edamame for a high-protein snack that delivers 3.5 mg of iron (19% DV). Fun fact: It also packs more potassium than a banana (as do these other foods).
Theres a whopping 7 mg of iron (39% DV) in each cup of cooked lentils–all the more reason to make this crazy-easy Italian lentil soup.
This hearty breakfast staple packs 4 mg of iron (22% DV) in each half cup. (Hint hint: Thats the exact amount of oats you need to make one of these delicious DIY instant oatmeal packets.)
Sometimes we wonder if quinoa is just showing off: Its a complete vegetarian protein (meaning it has all nine essential amino acids that your body cant make on its own) and it has 3 mg of iron (17% DV) per cooked cup Advertisement.
Slurp down six oysters for 4 mg of iron (22% DV) The same serving also meets your daily needs for dietary zinc, a hard-to-find mineral.
The food and nutrition writer for Prevention magazine and EatClean is Caroline Praderio. com. She is a Massachusetts native who attended Emerson College and has won two prizes from the International Regional Magazine Association. She enjoys reading, cooking, and practicing with her dance company when she’s not writing.
Adapted from a story originally published on EatClean.com.
For more from Maria Rodale, visit www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com
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Ground beef is amazing
FAQ
Is ground beef high in iron?
One serving of ground beef contains 15% of the DV for iron and is one of the most easily accessible sources of heme iron B vitamins, zinc, selenium, and high-quality protein are also present in abundance.
What meat is highest in iron?
Red meats (beef, lamb, veal, pork, and kangaroo) are among the best sources of iron in animals. The redder the meat, the higher it is in iron. offal (liver, kidney, pate).
How much iron is in cooked ground beef?
Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled, 1 serving ( 3 oz )Protein (g)20 93Iron, Fe (mg)2. 28Magnesium, Mg (mg)18. 7Phosphorus, P (mg)179. 35Potassium, K (mg)296. 65.
What foods raise iron quickly?
Heme iron can be found in meat, fish, and poultry. It is the type of iron that your body can absorb the fastest. Up to 30% of the heme iron you consume is absorbed by you. In general, eating meat significantly raises your iron levels compared to eating non-heme iron.