Iron-Rich Vegan Foods

Read our dietitians’ advice about foods containing iron in a vegan diet, plant-based iron sources, and how to boost our iron absorption.

What are some iron-rich vegan foods?

It’s easy to get enough iron on a vegan diet – beans, lentils and other legumes, dark leafy greens, and whole grains will all increase your iron intake. Nuts and seeds, nut butters, and other green vegetables are also great sources. Including these iron-rich plant foods in your daily menu will help you get enough iron.

Contrary to popular belief, these plant foods are rich in iron. Just for the sake of comparison, to consume the same amount of iron as in ½ pound (225 grams) of chicken breast, you only need to eat ½ cup of legumes or just 1 tablespoon of whole tahini (sesame butter).

How can I boost my iron absorption?

Iron absorption depends on many factors. These 3 tips will help you maximize your iron absorption on a vegan diet:

1. The vitamin C in certain fresh fruit and vegetables helps improves iron absorption, so try to include them in every meal.
2. As caffeine can reduce iron absorption, try to avoid having coffee, tea, cola, or chocolate with your meal. Instead, have it at least 30 minutes before or after eating.
3. Soak legumes before cooking.

Anemia most often affects people due to the loss of blood during menstruation, so we recommend that you make sure you consume enough iron-rich foods and use the suggested methods above to increase iron absorption at this stage of life.