Iron-Rich Vegetarian Foods: 7 Vegetarian Foods That Are Healthy, Yummy, And Packed With Iron

Did you recently find out that your body has an iron deficiency? Or maybe you doubt that due to the constant fatigue and weakness. 

Well, before you gobble down supplements, we’d suggest taking the more natural route and increasing your intake of foods rich in iron.

Can we add some content on why is iron important 

And to help you with this, we covered some vegetarian iron sources that will easily fit into some lip-smacking recipes.

Let’s jump straight to the iron rich foods for vegetarians.

7 Foods That Are Packed With Iron

1. Tempeh

Not just any Tempeh, only Tempeh from Hello Tempayy comes with a healthy dose of iron. That’s because our Tempeh is fortified with iron and can meet 30% of your recommended dietary allowance. Apart from iron, our Tempeh is also rich in calcium, vitamin B12, potassium, and dietary fiber, ensuring you get a healthy dose of all nutrients. To top it all, it is packed with protein, has a low-fat profile, is gluten and dairy-free, and contains zero cholesterol. 

So whether you want to lose weight, add lean muscle, are going dairy-free, or are lactose-intolerant, Tempeh is the right superfood for you.

Also, read about 5 high protein vegan foods that can help in weight loss.

2. Spinach

Low on calories, high on iron and nutrients, spinach is another great vegetarian food high in iron that you should add to your daily diet. About 100g of spinach contains 2.7 mg of iron which makes up around 15% of your daily iron need. Apart from that, spinach also boosts the immune system and absorption of iron in the body since it is rich in vitamin C. It also has antioxidants known as carotenoids. The antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body, in turn, helping you fight off cancer and inflammation.

Plus, spinach can be cooked in tandem with other nutritious and flavorful foods like Tempeh, Paneer, chicken, or even added to omelets.

3. Legumes

We Indians love our chole-chawal(rice) and aloo-mater. Both peas and chickpeas belong to a good group known as legumes. There are also lentils, soybeans, and beans in the group, so if you are a vegetarian low on iron, you’ve got to love legumes. 200g of lentils (dals) can make up 36% of your daily iron requirements as they have around 6.6gm of iron. Legumes are also rich in folate, magnesium, potassium, and soluble fiber, Soluble fiber helps you stay full longer. So if you are trying to lose weight, adding more legumes to your diet would be great.

Legumes are also great for diabetics, or people suffering from inflammation, metabolic issues, or heart diseases. Check out the studies to know more.

Also, read about a vegan diet guide for diabetes.

4. Pumpkin Seeds

You are most likely throwing away all those pumpkin seeds, so here are a few reasons to not. A mere 28g of these seeds can make up for 14% of your daily iron needs as it has 2.5mg of iron. Furthermore, the seeds also have vitamin K, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. You may not know this, but the aluminum in the food cans or cooking utensils reduces magnesium content in a lot of foods. This is why a lot of people suffer from magnesium deficiency in India. 

Snacking on pumpkin seeds can help you boost both iron and magnesium levels in the body.

5. Broccoli

If you want to shed those extra kilos and are having a lot of salads of vegetable stir-fries, make sure to throw in some broccoli. Not as high in iron as other vegan foods we mentioned above like Tempeh as 150g of broccoli only has 1 mg of iron. But the best part about it is that broccoli can be used in tandem with both meat and vegetables. For example, a Tempeh salad can have both broccoli and spinach.

The one thing broccoli does impact though is the absorption of iron and the immune system. That’s because it is one of the richest sources of vitamin C (112% DV). There’s also folate, vitamin K, and fiber in broccoli. To top it all, like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli can also help fight off cancer cells due to the presence of indole, sulforaphane, and glucosinolates

6. Tofu

Tofu and Tempeh, both are made of soybeans. And while Tofu contains a healthy dose of protein and iron, it falls behind Hello Tempayy’s Tempeh which is fortified with iron. While our Tempeh makes up for 30% of your daily iron needs, Tofu makes up for only 19% making Tempeh the superior food.

That being said, if you love tofu, it is still an amazing food with a good amount of protein. Plus, it is gluten-free and great for anyone that’s lactose intolerant.

Read about plant based foods that are pro in protein.

7. Dark Chocolate

Time for desserts. So far everything we have mentioned was savoury. So here’s us sweetening the pot with some dark chocolate. This might come as a surprise but just 28 g of dark chocolate comes with  3.4 mg of iron covering 19% of your daily iron needs. Plus, it is gut-friendly since dark chocolate has prebiotic fiber.

Furthermore, studies prove that antioxidants in dark chocolate are more efficient than even in berries like Acai. And it is good for people with cholesterol and heart issues. But make sure you get dark chocolate with 70% cocoa to enjoy these benefits. White and other chocolates aren’t rich in iron, antioxidants, or good for the heart.

Conclusion

That’s our list of iron-rich vegetarian foods that we feel are the ideal choices for anyone looking to up their iron intake. Our goal is to bring to you foods that aren’t just rich in iron but seamlessly fit into your daily eating routine.

For example, you can easily replace your paneer dishes with Tempeh, one of the most iron rich foods for vegans. Tempeh isn’t just healthier but also easier to cook with as it is firmer. It also absorbs flavours of the condiments better than paneer, tofu, or even chicken since it has a mild flavour and is porous.  Check out our range of pre-marinated Tempeh, and we bet, you’ll have a new favourite over paneer and tofu. 

Also, read everything you need to know about tempeh and your health.