Getting iron naturally during pregnancy

More and more moms-to-be are looking to invest in their health the natural way.

One of the best ways to do this is to eat healthy, balanced foods that provide you with the vitamins and nutrients you and your baby need for healthy development.

Iron-fortified dry cereals are one of the best sources of iron. Pregnant women should receive 18 mg of iron per day.

Some servings of fortified cereals may meet this requirement. However, it's good for the mom-to-be to know that dark chocolate is also a great source of iron.

The following is a complete list of iron-containing foods:

Meat and Eggs

Beef
Liver (not recommended)
Oysters (cooked)
Clams
Shrimp
Chicken
Ham
Veal
Lamb
Pork

Vegetables High in Iron

Spinach, cooked
Collards
Chard
Kale
Tomatoes, canned, stewed
Green Peas
Broccoli
Sweet potatoes
Green beans
Dandelion greens
Beet greens

Fruits High in Iron

Strawberries
Raisins
Watermelon
Prunes
Figs
Dried peaches
Dried apricots

Nuts Are High in Iron

Beans/Legumes/Nuts
Beans (white beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas/garbanzo beans)
Lentils
Dried peas
Cashews
Pistachios
Pumpkin/squash seeds

Breads / Cereals / Starches

Whole wheat bread
Baked potato
Oat cereal
Bran cereal
Cornmeal
Enriched pasta
Enriched rice
Dark Chocolate (best for last)

Iron absorption

Not all sources of iron are equal in terms of the amount of iron available for the body to absorb. There are two types of iron: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is found in meat, poultry, and fish, while non-heme iron is found in both plant foods (vegetables, beans, fortified grains) and meat.

However, heme iron is much more easily absorbed by the body. The body can absorb up to 30% of heme iron, while non-heme iron can only absorb 2-10%.

While meat can improve iron levels more easily, it's important to eat a variety of iron sources, including plant-based ones.

For this reason, when eating foods containing non-heme iron, it is best to combine them with foods containing vitamin C, which can help iron absorption.

Some foods rich in vitamin C include guava, bell peppers, kiwis, oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, melons, and papaya.

In addition, eating heme iron sources (meat) at the same time as non-heme iron sources (plants) can increase the absorption of non-heme iron.