Iron rich recipes/meals

theoldcynic

Hi I wonder if any of you lovelies here can help!

I'm deficient in iron and iron tablets are making me very ill.

Can't cook elaborate meals due to effects of deficiency (tiredness etc).

Don't have money for elaborate/expensive ingredients and can't really spend hours around supermarket/shops looking for them.

Don't have cast iron pans to cook in (as nurse suggested) and can hardly afford them!

Can't have too much spinach because of vitamin a content. Or have any liver.

So with that in mind do any of you have any tried and tested, pregnancy friendly, quick and easy MSE iron rich lunch and dinner, recipes/meals that might be of use!

Thanks in advance!

kittycat204

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-iron.php
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/fruits-and-vegetables-high-in-iron.php

Hermia

I don't have any recipes, but do drink a glass of orange juice with your meals as the vitamin C helps you absorb more of the iron.

pink_princess

I have pernicious anemia. Increasing your Iron & B12 will help you.

Cakes made with cocoa powder
Mussels
Salads sprinkled with sesame/pumpkin seeds. Add a bolied egg for the B12
Mince with thyme dumplings, Lamb mince is higher in B12.

krlyr

Ditto the vitamin C to help you absorb iron. I'm sure I've heard that kiwi fruit have a ton more vitamin C in that the oranges we associate it with.

annelouise_2

Chicken and lentil soup

Onion,butter,carrots,butter beans,handful of red lentils,chicken stock cube,2 cloves garlic,1.5pints water,salt,pepper,chicken breast or rubber chicken.

If very adventurous throw in a couple of soaked prunes - they go to nothing.

Put in slowcooker.Blitz when cooked ,portion up,freeze,eat.

Perfect with some iron rich seeded bread or rolls.

AND..... A bowl of branflakes at 11.0mg iron per 1 cup.Pop in a ziploc bag and munch like crisps.:rotfl:

annelouise

patchwork_cat

Heme iron (meat sources) is the best source of iron. In fact although spinach has a lot of iron for a veg it is not well absorbed as it is non heme and also spinach contains oxalate which hinders absorption.

I am very anaemic and my ferritin at it's lowest was 2. Oysters are an excellent source of iron as is red meat. As others have said have a source of vitamin C with your meals.

Have you tried all the different types of supplement there are more than Ferrous sulphate. Have you tried Floradix or Spatone?

Have a read of this article to http://www.anemia.org/patients/feature-articles/content.php?contentid=000316.

You can have iron injections, you know.

Penny-Pincher!!

OJ to absorb the iron you eat. Peas (even mushy) are high in iron so are prunes, red meat and some veggies.

I have iron deficiency anaemia and ferriten levels fall as low as 1 but currently about 12. I have to have regular iron infusions.

theoldcynic

Aww thanks, they sound great! And good advice too. Thanks for all the links, this is new to me and don't have energy to go trawling on web myself.

I haven't had a chance to try other iron supplements yet, seems i've developed other complications this morning which they're now trying to get under control.

I really sorry for anyone who has this regularly, how do you get through the day or stay awake?! I've not been awake more than three hours today, fell asleep just after making that post lol!

Rosetta92

I agree with the suggestion to try a change of iron tablets. This made a big difference to me. Also, if you can't manage as many tablets in the day as instructed try reducing as even taking some will help. I was meant to have three a day, could only manage one a day for the first couple of weeks and then managed too. Never quite got to three.

To add to the list of Vit C sources - mangoes are very rich in Vit C. Much cheaper in Indian and Asian stores, but often the supermarkets sell them underripe and the whoopsie them just at the point when they're finally ready to eat :rotfl:

Thanks to everyone for the food ideas - I learnt some new things from the suggestions - very helpful as I'm currently off my iron tablets for a few weeks so that the doctor can then blood test to see if my body is retaining iron. So exhausted this week that I think I know the answer :eek:

hermum

Tannins in tea, coffee & wine can all reduce your absorption of iron.
So if you have fortified breakfast cereals, have fruit juice instead of tea or coffee. or wine.
Vit A helps to release the iron your bodies already stored, Vit A is found in sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, green leafy veg, dried apricots & orange skinned melons.
Hope you soon build up your stores & start feeling better.