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It has become more and more clear that a meat-free (or at least reduced-meat) diet is the way to go both for the planet and for your health. But there are still some nutrients which are a little more difficult to get when you're a vegan. But if you're vigilant, it's really not hard at all. An iron deficiency is a common ailment amongst even the most intense health nuts, but iron is crucial to helping the body function well.
Iron is used in the body to carry oxygen in red blood cells to the muscles. More specifically, iron helps us to produce energy, so if you're not getting enough iron, you can feel drained and tired. Usually if you're a healthy vegan and your diet consists of mostly vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, you're in the clear, but for those of us that slip up once in a while and call chips and salsa a vegan meal, make sure that these nutritionally dense foods make it into your diet.
Get As Much Iron as Popeye With More Than Just Spinach
1. Lentils
Lentils have 6.6 mg for a 1 cup serving. That's more than a third of your daily allowance. I love lentils, especially in this soup recipe. You would obviously have to leave out the butter for the recipe to be completely vegan. You could easily substitute another fat source like coconut or olive oil. This recipe is a different take on lentils. It's a bit sweeter than most dishes that I've had before. I like the red lentils for this mostly because of the color, but you can use whatever variety that you like.
2. Jerusalem Artichokes
I wrote last month that iron can also pop up in some interesting places like Jerusalem artichokes, for example. One cup of this truly delicious vegetable drums up 30 percent of your daily allowance. Jerusalem artichokes are a strange vegetable because they are more of a tuber than an artichoke. They resemble a ginger root that's in season and available throughout the winter, depending on where you live. Again, in this recipe you will want to substitute the butter for olive oil to make it completely vegan.
3. Molasses
Molasses, specifically blackstrap molasses, has 7.2 mg of iron for just 2 tbsp. That's incredible if you ask me. Do that twice and you're almost set for the day. It's a really thick and viscous syrup that's delicious in baked beans and ginger bread. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, it's the byproduct of the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. Try these sweet and delicious Vegan Molasses Cookies. Iron never tasted so sweet.
4. Chickpeas
When it's time to choose a legume of choice in your vegan diet, chickpeas are a great pick. Chickpeas have 6.2 mg for about a cup serving size. That's 2 mg more than your go-to source, spinach. Chickpeas are also good sources of calcium, protein, zinc, and magnesium. And best of all, these tasty little numbers are great in falafels, hummus, and tons of other recipes. Try Kelly Rossiter's recipe for chickpeas and spinach. It's an inexpensive meal with tons of flavor. She pairs chickpeas with spinach, ginger, tomatoes, and green chilies for an Indian inspired dish.
