What should I eat to get
enough iron?
It's important to get iron from a variety of
foods. Iron comes in two forms:
1. Heme iron is very easily absorbed by
your body.
Heme iron is only found in animal products,
such as:
• beef, pork, lamb, veal
• turkey and chicken (dark meat has more
iron than white meat)
• fish, seafood
2. Non-heme iron is not absorbed as well as
heme iron.
Foods with non-heme iron:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
breakfast cereals fortified with iron
breads and pasta (whole grain and enriched)
lentils, dried peas and beans
seeds and nuts
dried fruit (raisins, apricots, etc.)
dark green, leafy vegetables
eggs
Iron supplements should only be taken
after talking to a registered dietitian or
your family doctor.