Here are the dietary sources of iron. These are the foods that will help you boost your iron stores. Iron is essential many functions of life.
If you eat these foods along with certain other foods or supplements like vitamin C, it is possible to increase their absorption rate.
Studies show that increases in iron stores from traditional supplements can increase the risk of bacterial infection. However, increasing iron along with increasing glutathione co-factors will dramatically increase glutathione production.
Increase glutathione and you increase immunity and anti-aging properties of your body. We prefer to call it age management.
There are two aspects of dietary sources of Iron. What you eat to boost iron and foods to avoid that will deplete iron absorption.
Since there are differences from men to women, this is an approximation. The various foods may have more or less depending on how they are prepared.
Ready-to-eat cereal 100% iron fortified ¾ cup 100 % daily requirement
Oatmeal, fortified instant 1 cup 60% daily requirement
Soybeans (boiled) 1 cup 50 % daily requirement
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup 35% daily requirement
Kidney Beans (boiled) 1 cup 25% daily requirement
Lima Beans, large (boiled) 1 cup 25% daily requirement
Navy Beans (boiled) 1 cup 25% daily requirement
Ready-to-eat cereal iron fortified, ¾ cup 25% daily
requirement
Black Beans (boiled) 1 cup 20% daily requirement
Pinto Beans (boiled) 1 cup 20% daily requirement
Black Strap Molasses 1 tablespoon 20-40% daily requirement
Tofu, raw (firm) ½ cup 20% daily requirement
Spinach (boiled and drained) ½ cup 20% daily requirement
Spinach (drained and canned) ½ cup 10% daily requirement
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas) boiled 1 cup 10% daily requirement
Spinach (frozen boiled) ½ cup 10% daily requirement
Grits, white, enriched (prepared with water) 1 cup 8% daily requirement
Seedless Raisins, seedless ½ cup 8% daily requirement
Whole wheat bread 1 slice 6% daily requirement
White bread enriched 1 slice 6% daily requirement
Broccoli (boiled) ½ cup 0.7 mg
Green beans (boiled) ½ cup 0.8 mg
Beets, 1 cup 1.8 mg
Potato baked with skin 4.0 mg
Watermelon, 6 inch x ½ inch slice 3.0 mg
Dates or Prunes, ½ cup 2.4 mg
Stinging Nettle (raw-crushed, dried, cooked, or tea)
Pumpkin seeds
Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds
Brown rice, 1 cup cooked 0.8
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice 0.9
Wheat germ, 2 tablespoons 1.1
English Muffin, 1 plain 1.4
Oatmeal, 1 cup cooked 1.6
Cream of Wheat, 1 cup 10.0
Whole wheat Pita 1 piece, 6 ½ inch 1.9
Spaghetti, enriched, 1 cup, cooked 2.0
Raisin bran cereal, 1 cup 6.3
Sunflower seeds, 1 ounce 1.4
Chickpeas (canned) ½ cup 1.6
Heme Iron Containing FoodsAll red meats
Beef, Pork, Lamb, three ounces 2.3 to 3.0 mg
Liver (beef, chicken), three ounces 8.0 to 25.0 mg
Clams, Oysters ¾ cup 3.0 mg
Turkey (dark meat) ¾ cup 2.6 mg
Pizza, cheese or pepperoni, ½ of 10 inch pie 4.5 to 5.5 mg
Which foods could negatively affect the absorption of iron? Absorption is the amount of iron the body is able to get from the food and make usable by the body. The rate that we absorb iron varies. It can be affected by our bodies, by disease, by medicines, and by the foods we eat.
The type of iron we eat can determine how much we will get.
Iron from animals, called heme iron, is considered the most efficient.
Your diet does not significantly affect the absorption of heme iron from meats. Ranges are estimated to be at 15-35%.
Absorption of plant based iron (non-heme iron) from wheat, soybeans, black beans and rice is less. It is estimated that it is 2 to 20%.
Adding vitamin C will improve the absorption of the non-heme iron. Calcium supplements can decrease the absorption. Tea, coffee, soybeans, some beans and whole grains can decrease the absorption.
These dietary sources of iron will help you to boost your iron counts. Likewise, they will help you boost your glutathione levels.
In the case of black strap molasses, it will even provide many of the cofactors that enhance glutathione production.
Eat well, live well and prosper.
Side Effects of Iron Supplements There may be more concerns than you know.
Iron Supplements Constipation The supplements can put you in a bind.
Iron Supplements Risks Consider the risks. Then consider if there were a better way.
Natural Iron Supplements Here you will find some of the best iron supplements, only they are not in a pill or capsule. These are safe, even around little children.
Iron Nutritional Supplement Take a look at liquid iron supplements compared to dietary iron supplements.
Cysteine: The Essential Glutathione Booster that iron makes work even better.
Boost Your Glutathione to promote the glutathione health management benefits.
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The Way to Make More GSH For Free
Glutathione has a high affinity for water. Simply put, if we are dehydrated our bodies may not make as much as they could. Or, what we do make may be less effective.
Usually there is something more than just being dehydrated. Often there is a condition called fluid and electrolyte imbalance, less than bodies needs. There is a simple, easy and inexpensive way to correct this, allowing your body to produce even more GSH.
The Water Cures Protocol really works. Give it a try today.
It is simple, easy, sustainable and affordable (the salt should cost less than $10 a year).
And like GSH, it will help with over 76 different diseases and conditions.
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