Why our bodies need iron
Iron is a component of haemoglobin in red blood cells and is essential to transport oxygen around the body. Iron deficiency occurs in stages - from depleted stores (iron deficiency) all the way through to iron deficiency anaemia which is when our body hasn’t been able to make enough red blood cells due to a lack of iron.
This lack of oxygen circulating around our body often feels like fatigue. However, it can also present as regular infections or illnesses and if you are pregnant or a child, it can cause decrease growth in the foetus and the child.
Traditionally in modern Australia, most dietary iron comes from red meat, and the redder the meat, the more iron it contains. This means that beef and lamb have met a large portion of our iron needs. However, more sustainable meat such as kangaroo is also a great source.
Plant vs animal-food sources of iron
There are many vegetarian and vegan food sources of iron. Although there are iron fortified foods available on the supermarket shelves (such as some breads and cereals), there are whole plant-based foods that naturally contain iron. Below are a few examples of plant-based iron sources.
While the quantities are all presented per 100g of food, we don't necessarily eat 100g of these foods at once. For example, while we would usually sit down to eat at least 100g of lentils or tempeh in one sitting, we would rarely eat 100g of sunflower or chia seeds. However, they have been presented per 100g to allow comparison between food types.
Plant-based iron sources
- 100g pepitas (pumpkin seeds) = 10mg
- 100g tempeh = 9mg
- 100g chia seeds = 8mg
- 100g cashew = 5mg
- 100g sunflower seeds = 5mg
- 100g almond = 4mg
- 100g dried apricots = 3mg
- 100g tofu = 2.9mg
- 100g lentils = 2.5 mg
- 100g walnuts = 2.5mg
- 100g peanuts = 2.3mg
- 100g red kidney beans = 2mg
- 100g chickpeas = 2mg
- 100g kale = 1.5mg
- 100g broccoli = 0.8mg
Tips to eat enough iron without meat
When we’re relying on non-haem (plant-based) food sources to meet our iron needs, it’s helpful to eat vitamin C containing foods with the iron rich foods as this increases absorption.
Some examples of vitamin C rich foods are orange, lemon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, and capsicum.
How to maximise how much iron your body absorbs
While vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, there are some nutrients and foods that block the absorption of iron if they’re eaten at the same time.
These iron blockers are:
- Tannins - found in black tea and coffee
- Calcium - found in dairy and calcium fortified non-dairy alternatives
- Phytates and fibre - found in whole grains especially bran, some seeds, legumes and nuts
This means that if you’re being particularly conscious of your iron intake, then spacing these foods and drinks to 20 to 30 minutes either side of your iron containing food is a good idea. For most people following a plant-based diet, this won’t be necessary.