Other then meat wat can give u iron?!
Other then meat wat can give u iron?
i have just become a vegetarian and i do not know where i can get iron from other then meat. i could really use ur suggestions.
Answers:
Contrary to the belief that vegetarian diet is nutritionally poor, meeting energy requirement is not usually a problem in a vegetarian diet (Lacto vegetarian diet) because of the high energy content of dairy product. In India almost all vegetarians take dairy product along with vegetable products.
Proteins: Body's protein needs can be provided by either animal or plant sources. Mixed protein diet obtained from various plant sources is better than animal protein and is recommended in diabetes, renal diseases and liver diseases. Mixed protein diet from different plant sources has been the pattern of diet in India for all vegetarians.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods; like cereals, grains, fresh and dry fruits, legumes, vegetable, greens, nuts etc. plant carbohydrates include' large amounts of starches, sugar and fibers which are important for gut functions. The body is better suited to a high carbohydrate diet than a low carbohydrate diet. In fact 55% of the food intake should be carbohydrate. All animal products do not contain carbohydrate which is essential for body.
Fat: Plant fats differ from animal fats in two different ways 1) they are cholesterol free 2) they generally contain more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fats. Plant fats usually have higher polyunsaturated fat value than animal fats.
A diet which is low in cholesterol and which contains fat of a high PIS value is associated with a lower incident of coronary health disease.
Vitamins and Minerals: plant foods are rich in many vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is obtained by exposure of skin to sun light and this is not a problem in India.
Calcium: The vegetarians can meet their needs for calcium from dairy products. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Dark green vegetables are good sources of Riboflavin as are legumes and whole grain cereal.
Iron: The problem of iron deficiency is relatively common but vitamin C significantly enhances absorption of iron hence it is advisable for vegetarians to include with each meal a food high in vitamin C which as lime, citrus fruits or juices.
Zinc: Zinc is found in large number of plant foods.
Fiber: Fiber is found only in vegetarian food like whole grain cereals, legumes, greens, fruits, vegetable etc.
Thus in vegetarian foods all requirement of nutrition for body growth and maintenance is fulfilled. One can have a complete and balanced diet provided we take enough food which is as close to nature as possible in maintaining sturdy and disease free body. It is equally helpful in curing many diseases.
ADVANTAGES OF VEGETARIAN DIET:
More & more evidence is surfacing that directly links a prolonged non- vegetarian diet to diseases as cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma just to name a few.
1. LOGEVITY: Vegetarian can expect to live 4-10 years longer then the non-vegetarians.
" Source: Seventh day Adventists study
2. LESS HEART DISEASE: Because of low fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content of the vegetarian diet the risk of heart disease is lowered. High blood cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.
3. LESS CANCER: Up to 40% of all cancers are diet related. Cancer death rates have been associated with obesity and high fat / low fiber diet. Vitamin A & C are thought to be protective against colon cancer. Low fat diets protect against prostrate and breast cancer. Indoles, lignans, isoflavones, protease inhibitors which are present in plant foods and shown to be potent anti carcinogens.
4. LESS BOWEL DISEASE: Diverticular disease and appendicitis occur more frequently with low fiber intake as in meat diet.
5. LEES OBESITY & LESS INCIDENCE OF DIABETES: It is easier to plan a low fat diet for a vegetarian then for a meat eater. The fiber in plant food dilutes the energy & provides a satisfying meal without all the calories. Diabetes over the age of 40 seems to be related to obesity.
CONLUSION:
When activists like M.K. Gandhi, sports personalities like Martina Novratilova & Carl Lewis, beauties like Brooke Shields & Kate Winslet, physists like Edison, Albert Einstein & A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, religious leaders & mystics like Jesus & Osho can be legendaries in there respective fields taking the advantage of being vegetarian, Is'nt it more prudent on our part to switch over to vegetarianism & enjoy better quality & longevity of life.
Spinach, kale, collard greens; vitamin fortified beverages (orange juice, V8); Vitamin supplements
Green beans is one vegetable that is iron rich.
almost all green veg.
well the simplest way is to take vitamin supplements - ask your doctor or pharmacist to recomend a good , complete supplement , also a vitamin B complex supplement will be good cos Vitamin B12 is also difficult to get from vegetables, fruits etc.... if you want to go the natural route - for iron , green leafy veges are good. B12 - im not sure if there are any vegs or fruit that contain it....good luck....
The leafy greens (dark) are good sources of iron. Don't forget to make sure you are getting enough B12 too. You might want to take supplements since you will miss more than the iron from meats.
Best Sources of Iron
* Oysters
* Clams
* Sardines
* Molasses
* Raisin bran
Good Sources of Iron
* Shrimp
* Tuna
* Raisins
* Prunes
* Dried apricots
* Figs
* Kidney beans
* Pinto beans
* Navy beans
* Lentils
* Split green peas
* Enriched cereals
* Enriched macaroni
* Spinach
* Greens
* Broccoli
* Lima beans
* Avocado
Fair Sources of Iron
* Salmon
* Haddock
* Cod
* Tofu
* Sesame seeds
* Nuts
* Peanut butter
* Eggs
* Strawberry
* Banana
* Raspberries
* Blueberries
* Tomatoes
** Vitamin C helps your body absorb Iron from food. You should include foods high in Vitamin C with the above iron containing foods.
Foods high in Vitamin C: Oranges, Grapefruit, Lemon, Cantaloupe, Pineapple, Strawberries, Raspberries, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Kale, Asparagus, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Sweet potatoes
** Cooking in iron skillets and pans adds small amounts of iron to food.
From Wikipedia: "lentils, beans, leaf vegetables, tofu, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, potatoes with skin, bread made from completely whole-grain flour, molasses, teff and farina."
From Vegan Society: "dried fruits, whole grains (including wholemeal bread), nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds and pulses. Other foods rich in iron but which are usually eaten in smaller amounts include soya flour, parsley, watercress, black molasses and edible seaweeds. The use of ironware when cooking foods also contributes to dietary intake."
And just in case you're still worried about your iron: "Vegans have a high dietary iron intake and although iron from plant sources is less well absorbed than that from meat, high levels of vitamin C in the diet enhances iron absorption. Studies show that the iron status of vegans is usually normal, and iron deficiency is no more common than in the general population."
Pills From Your Nearest Pharmacy
i allthough dont agree with such an unhealthy thing like being a vegetarian;however most plants and varying amounts of iron in them. and i hope you dont become a vegan. a vegan and a vegatarian are two different things. vegans not only refuse to eat meat (fish and peanut butter included) yes peanut butter is considered a meat. has to do with the oil and protein content i think. but a vegan also is a hypocritical lifestyle they not only refuse to eat any meat but to use anything that was produced with the use of animals. but they forget without animals we wouldnt be here. the gas in the gas tanks of ppl is made from oil which is the remains of plants and animals. no i am not downing u being a vegetarian. but as far as humans go its not healthy to eat only meat or to eat only vegetables.
I think you must read this article… it might can help.
It is well known that meat, poultry, and fish are primarily sources of iron. The presence of this mineral in this food is easily absorbed by the body, even easiest than iron in other foods.
Iron is absolutely necessary in our body because its primarily function is to carry the oxygen in the body and deficiency of this mineral can cause “anemia”. Poor iron status can be a result from inadequate intake of iron or from blood loss.
So in order to keep good iron blood levels, especially for vegetarians, some tips are recommended:
-Intake of food with vitamin C, because the presence of this vitamin increases iron absorption.
-Because Iron is lost in cooking some foods, in order to retain it, cook foods in a minimal amount of water and for the shortest possible time.
-Intake of other sources of iron like: Apricots, Figs, spinach, beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds.
-If you like Pasta, and this is what I know about, buy enriched with iron type, and look at the labels. Iron enrichment levels are specified for thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin
I hope it helped. I will be glad If you visit my site and take some vegetarian recipes for free. www.pasta-recipes-online.com
Leafy green's or pretty much any green vegetables, legumes, nuts and lentils.
All green vegetables.