Trying to Cut Back on Meat?

That’s great, but you may need more iron. Vegetarians need nearly twice the recommended daily allowance. Making the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet can help cut saturated fat from your diet, but it may also reduce your iron intake. Vegetarian sources of iron (called nonheme iron) aren’t as easily absorbed by the body.Whereas omnivorous premenopausal women need 18 mg per day of iron, vegetarians require 33 mg per day.

Good vegetarian choices for iron include lentils, beans, oatmeal, spinach, tofu and small amounts of blackstrap molasses. You can increase the amount of iron that your body uses by including vitamin C-rich foods like citrus, tomatoes, broccoli and strawberries in your meal. Calcium, coffee and tea decrease iron absorption, so save your iron-rich dishes for after your morning brew or calcium supplement.

reference: Cleveland Mayo Clinic