What foods are truly effective for iron supplementation?

Jul 11, 2024 Source: Cainiu Health
Disease description:

I have iron-deficiency anemia and need to increase my iron intake through diet. I would like to ask, which foods are truly effective for iron supplementation?

Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
There are various foods that truly help in supplementing iron, mainly including the following categories: 1. **Red meat and animal offal**: Such as beef, pork, lamb, pork liver, and chicken liver. These foods are rich in heme iron, which is easily absorbed by the body, making them excellent sources of iron. 2. **Animal blood products**: Such as pig blood and duck blood. These also contain abundant heme iron, which aids in iron supplementation. 3. **Legumes and soy products**: Black beans, red beans, tofu, and other legumes and soy-based foods. Although their iron absorption rate is not as high as that of animal products, they are important sources of iron among plant-based foods. 4. **Vegetables and mushrooms**: Such as spinach, celery, rape (Chinese cabbage), black fungus, kelp, and laver. These vegetables not only contain iron but are also rich in vitamin C, which helps promote iron absorption.