Get Natured: What about iron?

17 ways to add more iron to your diet

Dispelling a myth: Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike are often looking for ways to increase their iron levels. Many pregnant women (maybe as many as 85%) struggle with low iron or anemia, as well. I have heard it said that it is hard to get enough iron when eating a vegetarian diet because the plant form of iron (non-heme) is not as readily absorbed as iron from animal foods (heme). That is only half true: non-heme iron is less available to our bodies, however, it is quite possible to get enough iron despite that.

Here are 17 ways to increase your intake of iron:

Blackstrap molasses: Add molasses to baked good, hot cereal, or pancakes and waffles. When I was a kid, we used to drink molasses mixed with warm milk. I have been on a chai tea kick lately and I think it might be good there as well.
Cast iron: Cooking with cast iron pans, especially for acidic foods like tomatoes sauces, increases the iron content of those foods.
Edamame (soybeans): Enjoy edamame (soybeans) as a snack or added to salads.
Fortified foods: Look for cereals, pastas, and bread products that have been iron-fortified.
Hemp seeds: Add 1-2 Tbsp hemp seeds to your breakfast cereal (hot or cold), rice or other grain, or salad.
Lentils or beans: Add cooked lentils or beans to salads, soups, and pasta dishes.
Nuts: Add nuts to baked goods, cereals, or salads or enjoy them as a snack.
Oatmeal: Have oatmeal or oat bran hot cereal for breakfast. Serve with strawberries or orange juice for extra vitamin C.
Pumpkin seeds: Add raw pumpkin seeds to salads, baked goods, and smoothies.
Quinoa: Quinoa is a quick-cooking and super nutritious grain. Use in place of rice, add to salads, or serve soup over quinoa for a hearty meal.
Raisins and dried fruit: Add raisins and/or other dried fruit to cereal, rice and grain dishes, and baked goods.
Sesame seeds: Add sesame seeds to salads, cereals, hummus, grain dishes, baked goods, and stir fries.
Spinach: Add fresh spinach to a smoothie, saute it with garlic, or add to pasta dishes or soups.
Split peas: Enjoy split pea soup served over quinoa with some fortified whole grain bread.
Tofu: Make a tofu stir fry with broccoli. The vitamin C from the broccoli with aid in iron absorption.
Vegetables: Many veggies are good sources of iron. Enjoy a wide variety veggies each day.
Wheat germ: Add wheat germ to baked goods, smoothies, or hot cereal.

Tip: Eat iron-rich foods with foods that contain vitamin C to increase iron absorption. Avoid eating iron-rich foods with coffee, tea, or calcium-rich foods as those things may inhibit absorption.

From my experience: Even though I do not eat any meat, I am able to maintain normal iron levels (even when I was pregnant) by ensuring that I eat a variety of iron-rich foods every day. Both of my children are vegetarian and have normal iron levels as well.

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, by Allison

Breakfast

Six seeds to add to your world

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Dinner

Instead of salad dressing (and a nut burger recipe)

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Dinner

Tempeh two ways

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, by Allison

Breakfast

Super pancakes

We eat a lot of pancakes in our house. Mostly because my kids love them but also because they are pretty portable and it is easy to sneak in some healthy ingredients. I make my pancakes from scratch rather than using a mix, so it is easy for me to tweak the ingredients list. I am not 100% on-board with the "sneaky mama" approach to getting kids to eat healthy things as I believe that we should feed them how we want them to feed themselves later in life. If they know what they are eating, it will be easier for them to choose to eat that again. I do, however, like the fact that I can make a few changes to things to get more nutrition onto my kids' plates while they are young and growing.

Here is my basic pancake recipe plus a few ideas for upping the nutritional value.

Basic Pancake Recipe:
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 tbsp oil (your choice, try: canola, olive, coconut, melted margarine)
~1 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp real maple syrup (optional but I like to add this because my kids don't use syrup and this makes the pancakes just a bit sweeter)

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl (sift them if you wish).

2. Whisk together the wet ingredients then gently stir them into the dry. Don't over-mix or your pancakes will be like rubber!

Options:
My kids don't like pancakes with "chunks" of any kind (even fruit). So, instead of whisking the wet ingredients together, I put them in the blender. That way I can add things to the batter without adding any lumps or bumps.

For protein and iron:

Add nut butter (e.g. peanut or almond butter), sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and/or hemp seeds to the wet ingredients and blend well.
Substitute soy flour for up to 1/3 cup flour.
Substitute a serving of protein powder for an equal amount of the flour.
Substitute ground flaxseeds (flax meal) and/or wheat germ for up to 1/3 cup flour.
Add blackstrap molasses for iron.

Adding fruits and veggies:

Add carrots, apples, bananas, berries, squash, applesauce, sweet potatoes, or other fruits and/or veggies to the wet ingredients and blend well. Bananas (especially really ripe bananas) work really well for this!

Anybody have any other sneaky pancake tricks?

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, by Allison

Breakfast

Green smoothies

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Lunch

Super salad

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Breakfast

Morning after (tri training) breakfast

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Vitamins

Vitamin C

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Recipes

Building blocks of a meal and homemade granola

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. The way that I plan my meals, or rather decide what ingredients to include in my food, is a little nerdy. Ok, maybe you guessed that about me already!

The first step for me is to choose, what I call, a "vehicle". I'll be sharing more on this later but the basic concept is to choose a base (whole grain pasta, bread, rice or other grains, etc.) and then add in the other components of the meal (protein, fruits and veggies, spices, etc.). As an example, I'll make you hungry show you how this works with homemade granola.

These are the basic categories that I consider with each meal (in this case, granola):

Vehicle: Oats
Fruit and/or veggie(s): Dried cranberries and raisins
Protein: Various nuts and seeds
Omega 3s: Hemp seeds
Iron: Pumpkin seeds, oats, hemp seeds, raisins

This really isn't as complicated as it may seem and it is a good way to make sure that you're getting the nutrients that you need. It becomes automatic pretty quickly as you get used to knowing the nutrition profile of the foods that you eat on a regular basis. Because about 95% of my meals are vegan, I pay close attention to protein, iron, and omega 3s. Your mix may be as simple as: vehicle, protein, fruits and/or veggies.

Here's my granola recipe. The weather here in California is wet, cold, and windy- perfect granola weather!

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup shredded or fine macaroon coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2-3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, all seeds and nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until well combined.
In another bowl, mix vanilla, molasses, brown rice syrup and maple syrup. Tip: warm the brown rice syrup in the microwave first if it is really thick and sticky.
Add the wet mixture to the dry, combine well. Spread evenly on a parchment-covered cookie sheet (I had to use two). Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally for even browning.
Remove from oven, stir in cranberries and raisins, let cool completely.

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Recipes

Pasta with spinach and lentils

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Recipes

High energy menu

Because my post on 16 ways to increase your energy contained a lot of suggestions about what foods to eat, I thought it might be helpful if I provided some meal ideas with those things in mind. Here is a one-day menu of high energy meals.

Enjoy!

Breakfast
Cream of Wheat Berries with Cranberries and Cardamom
Serves ~4

(Note: this is a slow cooker recipe and takes 6-8 hours)

1/2 cup wheat berries*
1/4 cup cracked wheat
1/2 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (you can substitute cinnamon or allspice if you prefer)
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Suggested mix-ins (these amounts are PER SERVING): 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, 1 teaspoon gelatinized maca powder, 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, regular or vanilla soymilk.

In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker, combine the wheat berries, cracked wheat, oats, and water. Stir in the cardamom. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (if you start the slow cooker before you go to bed, you'll have hot cereal in the morning).
Stir the cranberries into the mixture just before serving. Once in your bowl, add the mix-ins and top with a little soymilk. If you like a sweeter cereal, add a small amount of agave nectar (a low glycemic index sweetener).

*Please note that many of the dry ingredients can be found in the bulk foods aisle at your grocery store.

Snack
1 cup of soy yogurt, any flavor
1 cup of fresh raspberries

Lunch

Tempeh "Tuna" Salad with Spinach
Serves 3-4

1 8oz package of tempeh*, cubed
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise is the BEST!)
2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons dried dill
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
Salt to taste
Fresh spinach and red bell pepper slices for serving.

Steam the tempeh for 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Immediately add the water and mash thoroughly using a fork.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and season with salt to taste. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Serve tempeh salad on a bed of fresh spinach leaves (2 or more cups of spinach per person) and red bell pepper slices.

*Tempeh is available at Trader Joe's or in the natural foods aisle at your grocery store.

Snack
Air-popped popcorn tossed with nutritional yeast, to taste.
1/4 cup walnuts

Dinner
Red Lentils with Kale
Makes a lot; freezes well!

1 1/2 cups rinsed and drained red lentils
3 cups water
2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
3-4 carrots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
a few big handfuls of kale, chopped
about 1/2 or 1 whole onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil

Combine lentils, water, tomatoes, soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Chop all of the veggies (carrots, bell pepper, kale, onion, garlic, and jalapeno) very small (I use a food processor to speed this up). Add chopped veggies and the rest of the ingredients to pot of lentils. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring every once in a while. Test for taste and add more salt or chili flakes if necessary.

Serve lentils over cooked quinoa or brown rice and with a slice of whole grain toast on the side.

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, by Allison

What about iron?

16 ways to increase your energy

Drink water. Dehydration can cause fatigue. Drink a glass of room temperature water when you first get up in the morning. Continue to drink water throughout the day aiming for about 80 ounces total.
Limit caffeine. Consuming a small amount of caffeine can be an effective way to boost your energy. However, consuming a lot of caffeine can have the opposite effect. Large amounts of caffeine can cause fluctuations in blood sugar and dehydration.
Limit sugar and other refined/simple carbohydrates (e.g. white flour, white rice). Sugar and simple carbohydrates cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly. The initial effect is increase energy, but that is short-lived. When your blood sugar comes back down, you'll be left feeling sluggish.
Eat breakfast every day and don't forget to snack! Aim to eat something every 2-4 hours beginning with a nutrient-rich breakfast. Every meal and snack should include protein and complex carbohydrates. Don't skip breakfast or you'll set yourself up for low energy and cravings later in the day.
Get some sleep. Have you ever noticed that going to bed late makes for a sleepy morning even if you got 8 hours of sleep? Try to get to bed by 10pm and sleep for 8 hours each night.
Exercise regularly. Cardiovascular exercise is a great energy booster. Aim for 2-5 hours of cardiovascular exercise each week. Try cardio intervals if you're short on time.
Manage your stress. Write a list of your favorite ways to nurture yourself (e.g. get a massage, take a bubble bath, go for a walk) and pull out your list when you need to decompress.
Find some downtime every day. Even if it means getting up a few minutes earlier than everyone else in your house, take some time to really relax. Don't read email, don't write to-do lists. Do something that truly feels like downtime.
Make sure that you're getting enough iron. Eat lots of leafy greens (especially spinach), pumpkin seeds, soy and other beans, tofu, tempeh, lentils, hemp seeds, blackstrap molasses, and sesame seeds. To increase iron absorption, include foods that contain vitamin C with your iron-rich foods (e.g. oranges, strawberries, red bell peppers, broccoli).
Make sure you're getting your B vitamins. If you're vegan, you'll especially need to watch B12. Good sources of B vitamins include: nutritional yeast, fortified products such as soy milk and cereals, beans, tempeh, lentils, brewer's yeast, and molasses.
Increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods. This includes nuts (especially almonds and cashews), soy beans, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, artichokes, black beans, and fortified cereals.
Include probiotics in your diet. Probiotics are the "living cultures" in yogurt and they help to maintain intestinal health and have been credited with other benefits from strengthening the immune system to preventing colon cancer. In addition to yogurt and soy yogurt, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kombucha (fermented tea) also contain probiotics. They are also available in supplement form- look for one that must be refrigerated.
Eat lots of fiber. High-fiber foods help you to feel fuller longer than low-fiber foods. They help to maintain blood sugar and act as a broom to keep the intestinal track moving. Fiber helps to lower cholesterol and prevent constipation, diverticulosis, and colon cancer. Eat lots of whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, breads and cereals (check bread and cereal labels- not all are high in fiber), fruits and veggies, beans, lentils, ground flax seeds, oat bran, and nuts and seeds. Don't let TV commercials fool you- it is easy to get plenty of fiber from the foods that we eat and no fiber "supplement" is necessary!
Get your vitamin D by spending time in the sun. The best way to get enough vitamin D is by exposing your skin to sunlight. When you spend adequate time in the sun, your body manufactures enough vitamin D (sunlight is a great mood booster too). Try to spend a few minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen. Some breads, cereals, and milks (dairy and non-dairy) are fortified with vitamin D as well.
Include foods rich in omega 3s in your daily diet. Vegetarian sources include ground flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, hemp seeds, canola oil, tofu, and walnuts. Omega 3s help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improve mood, and reduce inflammation.
Try 1 teaspoon of gelatinized maca each day. Maca is an herbal supplement that is made from the root of a plant in Peru. It is said to increase energy and stamina. Please also note that it is claimed to be a libido enhancer. Don't say that I didn't warn you about that last part! You can get maca in capsule or powder form. Look for "gelatinized" (not related to gelatin) as it is the most absorbable. The powder can be added to a smoothie or other beverage or can be stirred into hot cereal.