People who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet are at greater risk of iron deficiency, as meat is one of the main food sources of this type of mineral. However, there are several vegetables that can be included in the vegetarian and vegan diet to maintain good iron levels in the body.
Furthermore, some strategies, such as eating citrus fruits together with other vegetables, or consuming nutritional yeast, can also increase iron absorption, without having to resort to products of animal origin.
Lacto-ovo vegetarians must pay extra attention, as they tend to consume a lot of products with milk and dairy products, and the calcium present in these foods reduces the absorption of iron in the body, contributing to the deficiency of this mineral. See what the main advantages and disadvantages of a vegetarian diet are for health.
Top vegetables rich in iron
The main foods of plant origin that can be considered good sources of iron are:
- Legumes: beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils;
- Nuts: apricot, plum, raisin;
- Seeds: pumpkin, sesame, flaxseed;
- Oilseeds: chestnuts, almonds, walnuts;
- Dark green vegetables: kale, watercress, coriander, parsley;
- Whole grains: wheat, oats, rice;
- Others: cassava, tomato sauce, tofu, sugarcane molasses.
These foods should be consumed regularly throughout the day, at different meals, to ensure adequate amounts of iron.
Strategies to increase iron absorption
Some tips that help increase the absorption of iron by the body and that should be, whenever possible, adopted by vegetarians and vegans are:
- Eat fruits rich in vitamin C, such as orange, pineapple, acerola and kiwi, along with vegetables rich in iron;
- Cook in an iron pan or frying pan, as the iron present in the pan ends up being released into the food, reinforcing its mineral composition;
- Avoid taking milk and dairy products together with iron-rich vegetables, as calcium decreases iron absorption;
- Avoid drinking coffee and teas together with iron-rich vegetables, as the polyphenols present in these drinks reduce iron absorption;
- Consume foods rich in fructooligosaccharides, such as artichokes, soybeans, asparagus, garlic, leeks and bananas;
- Avoid using medications for heartburn, as plant-based iron needs the acidic pH of the stomach to be correctly absorbed.
It is also possible to buy vegetarian and vegan products enriched with iron and other minerals, such as rice flour, chocolate milk and seed cookies. Plant-based diets are also low in vitamin B12, which is also important for preventing anemia. See how to identify a lack of vitamin B12.
Vegetarians who eat milk and eggs tend to have greater iron deficiency than strict vegetarians because they normally consume a lot of milk and dairy products, which reduces iron absorption. Therefore, lacto-ovo vegetarians should pay extra attention to iron and undergo routine tests to identify iron levels. See more about how to avoid a lack of nutrients in a vegetarian diet.
Iron-rich diet menu for vegetarians
Below is an example of a 3-day menu of an iron-rich diet for vegetarians:
Journey 1
- Breakfast: 1 glass of milk + 1 whole grain bread with butter;
- Morning snack: 3 cashew nuts + 2 kiwis;
- Lunch dinner: 4 spoons of brown rice + 3 spoons of beans + salad with chickpeas, parsley, tomato and watercress + 2 slices of pineapple;
- Afternoon snack: 1 yogurt with flaxseed + 5 Maria biscuits + 3 dried plums.
Journey 2
- Breakfast: 1 glass of yogurt + whole breakfast cereal;
- Morning snack: 4 whole grain toast with butter + 3 nuts;
- Lunch dinner: 4 spoons of brown rice + 3 spoons of lentils + salad with soy beans, kale, tomato and sesame + 1 orange;
- Afternoon snack: 1 glass of natural orange juice + 1 whole grain bread with cheese.
Journey 3
- Breakfast: Avocado smoothie + 5 whole-grain toast with ricotta;
- Morning snack: 5 cornstarch biscuits + 3 apricots;
- Lunch dinner: Macaroni with wholemeal noodles, tofu, tomato sauce, olives and broccoli + red lettuce, tomato and raisin salad + 8 acerolas;
- Afternoon snack: 1 yogurt + 5 seed biscuits + 6 strawberries.
