If you have been considering cutting out or cutting back on red meat, you may be wondering if you will wind up depriving your body of iron. Sure, plant-based foods also contain this mineral, but it is not as readily absorbed. Only 2% to 20% of the iron in plants (called non-heme) makes its way from your digestive system to your blood, compared to 15% to 35% of the iron in animal foods (called heme).
But fortunately, there is a simple solution: Just add some vitamin C to your meal. It boosts the amount of non-heme iron your body absorbs by as much as six fold.
Below are six iron-rich plant foods, each paired with a fruit or veggie loaded with vitamin C. But there's no need to stick with these specific pairs — feel free to mix and match.
1. Spinach (iron) + red bell peppers (Vit. C)
2. Broccoli (iron) + tomatoes (Vit. C)
3. Black beans (iron) + cabbage (Vit. C)
4. Kale (iron) + oranges (Vit. C)
5. Lentils (iron) + Brussels sprout (Vit. C)
6. Dark chocolate (iron) with strawberries (Vit. C)
