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    5 Ways to Get More Iron in Your Diet

    By | Shine Food – Wed, May 23, 2012 6:15 PM EDT

    5 Healthy Ways to Get More Iron in Your Diet5 Healthy Ways to Get More Iron in Your DietEvery year I have a physical and my doctor checks my iron level. This year, it was a tad low so she suggested a few foods to incorporate into my diet, in addition to my daily multivitamin. When she handed me the sheet of recommendations, I was so surprised by a lot of the foods on the list. There were all sorts of beans, non-green vegetables, and even some fruit! I'd always associated iron with images of Popeye slugging cans of spinach, so you can imagine my surprise when I learned there are many more healthy and tasty sources of iron. I thought I would share these recommendations with you.










    OystersOysters1. Oysters
    There's good news for Oyster lovers: six pieces of this favorite seafood contain 4.5 mg of iron. Slurp away!
    Make Oysters












    Vegan Red Lentil SoupVegan Red Lentil Soup2. Vegan Red Lentil Soup
    With 6.6 mg of iron in each cup of boiled lentils, this healthy lentil-based soup can be made in big batches and freezes well. It's perfect for the whole family!
    Make Red Lentil Soup







    Related: The 25 healthiest foods for under $1




    Roasted Garlicky BroccoliRoasted Garlicky Broccoli3. Roasted Garlicky Broccoli
    Cooked broccoli is packed with vitamins, including 1.2 mg of iron in each cup!
    Make Roasted Garlicky Broccoli










    Three Bean Chipotle ChiliThree Bean Chipotle Chili4. Three Bean Chipotle Chili
    This delicious vegetarian chipotle chili is packed with iron from the full cans of black beans -- 1 cup has 4.0 mg -- and kidney beans, which contain 5.2 mg per cup.
    Make Three Bean Chipotle Chili








    Related: Real food fast: 12 healthy meals you can make in less than 30 minutes




    Chicken Tostadas with Black Beans & Sweet CornChicken Tostadas with Black Beans & Sweet Corn5. Chicken Tostadas with Black Beans & Sweet Corn
    These crispy tostadas are a family favorite and are packed with iron from the black and refried beans.
    Make Chicken Tostadas with Black Beans & Sweet Corn






    (All numbers are from the University of Illinois.)


    - Kelsey Banfield
    Follow Kelsey on Babble


    For more ways to add iron to your diet, visit Babble!


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