Vegetarian Foods with More Iron than Meat!
Dear friends around the world,
I believe in alternative diets that give us the nutrients our bodies need while allowing us to live a healthier and cruelty-free lifestyle. It is a false belief that we can’t get enough protein and other nutrients from a plant-based diet. Some world-renowned athletes are vegetarians, even the Roman gladiators were mostly vegetarian, so we can see that adopting a vegetarian diet does not throw our bodies out of balance.
“If you like steak, meatballs, beef, hamburgers and any other meat …then please remember that none of the animals gave up their bodies because they wanted to. Each animal went through captivity, abuse, beatings, pain, sufferings, fear and murder so some of us can ‘eat’ their bloody flesh. Remember when we eat their flesh we create the causes for others to create the karma of killing them…
So, the next time we are ill, have serious diseases and our bodies hurt, we cannot complain because we indirectly caused the same pain to happen for the flesh of these animals. They experienced terrible pain because of us and that karma will come back to us in the form of pain for our bodies again and again and again…
Each time you eat the flesh of others, expect that same pain to come back to us. Count how many times you ate flesh and expect the same amount of times you will have pain in your body unless it is purified. Never complain about any physical pain or treatment because you were brave enough to eat the flesh of others. Be brave enough to get the pain back. This is not the judgement of condemnation but the universal law of karma. What goes around comes around.”
Please read this article and see for yourself just how many nutrients and vitamins these vegetables can provide our bodies. Meat is never the only option.
Tsem Rinpoche
14 Vegetarian Foods That Have More Iron than Meat
by Elana Hopman November 18, 2016
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/OrganicLife.mp4
Whether you’re a lifelong vegetarian or are actively transitioning to a non-meat diet, a common concern is making sure you still consume plenty of iron. According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) of iron for adults is 8-27 mg per day, with adult men tending toward the lower end, while older women and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding needing more (check out these skin-care products you can safely use while pregnant).
While meat is often at the top of the list of recommended sources of iron, there are plenty of non-meat options that contain the same amount of iron, or more, than meat. So no need to give up on your vegetarian diet and reach for a burger (or a multivitamin)—these 14 foods will easily boost your iron intake.
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Spinach
Leszek Czerwonka (Shutterstock)
Dark leafy greens, especially spinach, provide a powerhouse of iron. Three cups of spinach contain about 18 mg of iron—that’s more than an 8-ounce steak! You can meet your daily RDA of iron with just one hearty spinach salad. (Give this spinach-avocado caesar salad a try!)
Broccoli
Kiattipong (Shutterstock)
Not only is broccoli jam-packed with iron and other key nutrients like vitamin K and magnesium, it’s also high in vitamin C, which helps encourage iron absorption in the body. (And you may be surprised to learn that it’s quite good in smoothies.)
Related: How To Grow Your Own Broccoli
Lentils
Dream79 (Shutterstock)
Just one cup of lentils has more iron than an 8-ounce steak. Lentils are also a solid source of dietary fiber, potassium, and protein. You can add lentils to your salad, or try soup—make it in bulk, then freeze the leftovers for later.
Kale
John E. Manuel (Shutterstock)
Three cups of kale contain 3.6 mg of iron. Try this kale salad or this kale and lemon pizza.
Bok Choy
Ami Mataraj (Shutterstock)
Whether you steam or sauté this tasty Chinese cabbage, you’ll be getting a healthy dose of vitamin A, in addition to 1.8 mg of iron per cup.
Related: 12 Crazy-Good Ways To Cook Bok Choy
Baked Potato
Robyn Mackenzie (Shutterstock)
One large baked potato contains nearly three times the amount of iron as a 3-ounce serving of chicken. Top it with Greek yogurt (a high-protein substitute for sour cream), steamed broccoli, and a bit of melted cheese for a tasty weeknight dinner.
Sesame Seeds
Le Do (Shutterstock)
Just one tablespoon of sesame seeds contains 1.3 mg of iron. And it’s super simple to incorporate them into your diet, too. Sprinkle sesame seeds over a salad for added flavor and crunch or mix them into a dressing, sauce, or salsa before pouring over a dish.
Cashews
Lotus Images (Shutterstock)
Nuts of all kinds are well-known protein sources for vegetarians, but cashews have the added benefit of being very rich in iron. One ¼-cup serving contains about 2 grams of iron. Not a fan of their nutty texture? Hide them in a smoothie to get the health benefits without the grit.
Soybeans
Jiang Hongyan (Shutterstock)
A single cup of cooked soybeans contains between 8 and 9 mg of iron. These legumes are a great source of protein, too (they’re one of the 20 highest protein vegetarian foods). Just be sure to seek out organic soy products rather than conventional, which may be genetically modified.
Related: I Tried The Tofurky Easter Ham—So You Don’t Have To
Chickpeas
Diana Taliun (Shutterstock)
One cup of chickpeas contains 4.7 mg of iron, more than half the daily RDA for an adult male. Roast them in a bit of olive oil for a crunchy snack, or mix them with tomatoes, feta, and cucumber to create a savory side dish.
Dark Chocolate
OLENA KAMINETSKA/SHUTTERSTOCK
The benefits of dark chocolate seem endless. In addition to promoting healthier skin and teeth and reducing anxiety, dark chocolate also offers a sweet way to up your iron intake. One ounce of dark chocolate contains 2 to 3 mg of iron, more iron than in the same amount of beef.
Related: The 19 Most Indulgent And Earth-Friendly Chocolates
Swiss Chard
Azdora (Shutterstock)
Just one cup of Swiss chard has 4 mg of iron, more than a 6-ounce hamburger. Swiss chard also contains valuable nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, and K, and B folates.
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https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/SauteedLeafyGreens.mp4
Related: 13 Foods That Have More Potassium Than A Banana
Tofu
Aleksandran (Shutterstock)
A vegetarian staple for years, firm tofu boasts 3 mg of iron per half cup. There are countless recipes for using tofu, from a simple stir-fry to a sweet, homemade peach sorbet.
Related: 7 Mistakes You’re Making Every Time You Cook Tofu
Kidney Beans
Jomic (Shutterstock)
Kidney beans contain 3-4 mg of iron per cup. Be sure to cook kidney beans to get the best flavor and texture. Kidney beans are the superstars of vegetarian chili, often acting as a hearty base ingredient in favor of meat options. Consider purchasing dried beans in bulk for a budget-friendly option.
Source: https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/food/14-vegetarian-foods-that-have-more-iron-than-meat/slide/7
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Many people do not believe that vegetarian foods has many benefit. A vegetarian diet can provide a wide variety of healthful, nutritious foods, but what the person eats will depend on the type of diet they are following and their personal food choices. Hope more people will be aware of what will causes them in harm from their daily intake.
Thank you for the beneficial and informative article, to create awareness so as more and more people will be on vegetarian or at least meatless.
Dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables are especially good sources of iron, even better on a per calorie basis than meat. Iron absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing vitamin C along with foods containing iron. Vegetarians do not have a higher incidence of iron deficiency than do meat-eaters.
Iron is an essential nutrient because it is a central part of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood. Iron deficiency anemia is a worldwide health problem that is especially common in young women and in children.
Iron is found in food in two forms, heme, and non-heme iron. Heme iron, which makes up 40 percent of the iron in meat, poultry, and fish, is well absorbed. Non-heme iron, 60 percent of the iron in animal tissue and all the iron in plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts) is less well absorbed. Because vegan diets only contain non-heme iron, vegans should be especially aware of foods that are high in iron and techniques that can promote iron absorption. Recommendations for iron for vegetarians (including vegans) may be as much as 1.8 times higher than for non-vegetarians.
Some might expect that since the vegan diet contains a form of iron that is not that well absorbed, vegans might be prone to developing iron-deficiency anemia. However, surveys of vegans have found that iron deficiency anemia is no more common among vegetarians than among the general population although vegans tend to have lower iron stores.
The reason for the satisfactory iron status of many vegans may be that commonly eaten foods are high in iron. In fact, if the amount of iron in these foods is expressed as milligrams of iron per 100 calories, many foods are eaten by vegans that are superior to animal-derived foods. For example, you would have to eat more than 1700 calories of sirloin steak to get the same amount of iron as found in 100 calories of spinach.
Another reason for the satisfactory iron status of vegans is that vegan diets are high in vitamin C. Vitamin C acts to markedly increase absorption of non-heme iron. Adding a vitamin C source to a meal increases non-heme iron absorption up to six-fold which makes the absorption of non-heme iron as good or better than that of heme iron.
Fortunately, many vegetables, such as broccoli and bok choy, which are high in iron, are also high in vitamin C so that the iron in these foods is very well absorbed. Commonly eaten combinations, such as beans and tomato sauce or stir-fried tofu and broccoli, also result in generous levels of iron absorption.
Both calcium and tannins (found in tea and coffee) reduce iron absorption. Tea, coffee, and calcium supplements should be used several hours before a meal that is high in iron.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this informative post.
It is good to know that vegetables contain more vitamins then meat.
Thank you for sharing this article about vegetarian foods .. It’s very informative and educational to know,especially some of the things I have never seen or heard before this.
Meat are definitely not the only source of iron but vegetables more iron then meats
Be a vegetarian can lead us to long life and stable health .Thank you once again for the good information given to us .
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H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche loves animals and is passionate against their harm, torture, and abuse.
The few minutes a day we spend on social media creating awareness for animals who cannot speak is purely spiritual and humanistic practice because we are trying to alleviate pain from another sentient beings and that makes us more spiritual, and that makes us more spiritual and more humane.
Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this article on vegetarian foods with iron without consuming meat. It’s very informative and educational to know,especially some of the things I have never seen or heard before like “Swiss Chard”. Very interesting indeed 🙂
Vegetarian is becoming more popular because the people nowadays have more interest in healthy foods. In addition, we will be at the lower risk for obesity, hypertension, heart disease and etc when we choose to get more vegetables instead of meat.
Therefore, to become a vegetarian is really up to our choice. When we choose to eat less meat, our suffer from sickness will less too.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this informative post.
It isn’t surprising to know that greens are a healthier alternative to getting nutrients like iron or protein.
Many of my relatives say that I need to eat more meat to get my and iron, but meat isn’t the only thing that contains iron. Besides research have shown that meats are carcinogens and they also contain a lot of harmful chemicals like mercury together with growth hormones which are harmful to humans.
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing this informative post on vegetarian foods.
It certainly is a “false belief that we cannot get enough protein and other nutrients from a pant-based diet.” Research and science support the fact that going Vegan has a tremendous positive impact on health. As said, whatever the reasons are for not eating meat, whether religious or otherwise, better health and better immunity are undeniable side benefit of going vegetarian! From stipulated scientific fact, scientists have found that blood taken from Vegans is 8 times more effective at killing cancer cells than blood taken from those following a standard american diet. In a series of experiments and subsequent studies have shown, lifestyle changes were said to have a huge effect on long term health and reduce the risk of contracting cancer, and increase the chances of surviving cancer. A plant based diet and regular exercise can really help improve long term quality of life. Having blood that’s more inhospitable to cancer growth is just one major health advantage of the Vegan diet. Going vegan truly has a tremendous long term impact on one’s health as duly proven. If people are to spend efforts preventing the suffering of animals, they would do far better to focus on improving the wretched lot of tens of millions of cows, pigs, dogs and chickens ending up at these annual animals’ Meat Festivals celebrations in China and so many other Asians Nations of the World every year, where billions of animals are brutally tortured, and un-mercilessly killed and butchered each year to be joyously eaten! A great many thanks to Rinpoche for his always caring and sharing ways of compassion! Om Mani Padme Hung.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. We do not need to eat meat to get iron, they are many sources to get iron such as spinach, broccoli, dark chocolate and more! This article is very good because it gives me more options of getting iron.
Time and again, research results had shown with evidence that plant-base diet is more than sufficient to sustain our dietary needs. And we also have many past and living vegetarians who had lead a healthy life without any signs of malnutrition.
Yet, these facts remain oblivious to many people for various reasons. People continue to satisfy their taste bud at the expense of another living being. Many of them are the same people who cuddle and hug a furry being like cats or dogs, and even fight for their welfare. Perhaps the connection is lost to many between eating meat and being the cause that indirectly or directly slaughters the animals.
You see, the meat does not end up on your plate willingly. The animals had to encounter captivity, pain, torture and lastly a gruesome death before ending up on your plate. For every piece of juicy, succulent, meat that gets chowed down the throat, there are repercussions based on cause and effect. The pain we caused on the animals will come back to us.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the article for us to know more about the plant based food that contains high content of iron. This is my first time knowing that most of the ancient Roman gladiators were vegetarian, which is a valid evidence to prove vegetarian meals can provide sufficient energies for us to go through our daily work and chores without having to kill the animals for food. Most of the vegetables and plant based food are readily available in our market and the list of vegetables can even go longer too.
Since we are given the options to choose between meats and plant based food to obtain the same nutrient such as iron, it is more wiser and beneficial for us to consume the plant based food and vegetables as these food will not give us any harms or negative effect in both spiritual and secular aspects as the killing of animals are not carried out in the process of obtaining the plant based food. When we become full time vegetarian, we do not need to spend much effort but refraining the action of indirect or direct killing, which can lead us to long life, stable health and less suffering according to the law of cause and effect.
Thank you Rinpoche once again for the information given to us and I will continue to become a full time vegetarian for my whole life.
With folded hands,
kin hoe
Thank you Rinpoche for this article on healthy alternative cruelty-free diets and food that contain all the irons we need,even more than meat sources.Dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and beans are some of these alternative sources. They can be served in various delicious yummy ways. I love spinach! I love broccoli! I love kale! I love cashew nuts and chickpeas! I love dark chocolates!
Every time we eat plant-based food, we are refraining from acts of gross cruelty. We are refraining from being party to such cruelty as causing animals to suffer in captivity, beatings,pain, fear and brutal slaughter. Such acts collect heavy negative karma. With karma, what goes out from us comes back to us in the form of diseases of the body that will be racked in pain.
Well meat is often recommended sources of iron by most doctors .Ever since reading Rinpoche’s blog other posts and this post ,i can say thats not a good idea afterall to comsume meat for iron..The doctors view got to change to suit those vegetarian patients.I had witnessed a case whereby the doctor keep asking a vegan to comsume meat and i glad that patient refused. Meat are definitely not the only source of iron.There are plenty of foods like kidney beans, green vege,dark chocolate,tofu and so forth that contain the same amount of iron.Swiss chard is one vege which i have not seen before and would love to try oneday.I knew most nuts are protein sources ,cashews have the added benefit iron. I love cashew nuts.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this .
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. I didn’t know that these vegetables have so much nutrients to offer to our body. Most of the vegetables shared in this article are my favorite veggies. When you eat more veggies, you will not feel so heavy and bloated compared to when you eat meat.
with folded palms,
Vivian
The science is there, the perceptions and habits must change. The medical community is slowly but surely embracing a low animal protein and high fruits and vegetables diet. Thank you Rinpoche for this information. I’m a definitely a fan of a no-meat diet and have seen health improvements ever since I embraced it three years ago.
It is very important for us to have a balance diet irregardless if we are vegetarian or not. People always have the perception that vegetarian do not have sufficient minerals and nutrition. However, we are what we eat. So glad to know that they are so many examples of food with high iron. Will try to eat more of this food as I am lack of iron. Thank you Rinpoche for this great info.
It’s good to know more about vegetables especially some of the vegetables that are not indigenous to Malaysia, like kale, and swiss chards. But, I must say that this is so in line with what my doctor told me years back, that we have to eat colourful vegetables for the variety of nutrients that our body require, and he wasn’t even talking about being vegetarian.
Knowledge about the food we eat is important so that we can eat a balanced meal. So glad to see that we need not eat meat to get our supply of iron especially for people who are anemic. They may feel that being anemic disqualifies them from becoming vegetarians.
Thank you for sharing this knowledge with us that we may continue being vegetarians with no qualms at all even if we are anemic.
Great list of vegetables, for vegetarians it is important to eat well. And to have a well balanced diet. So there is no reason why we cannot give up meat, we just need to learn up with articles such as these, and educate ourselves so we can function optimally.
With these varieties of vege, we can get the nutrients which are necessary for our body. Just like what Rinpoche has mentioned, meat is not the only option. Besides, it takes few mins to cook a dish of vege, thanks to the video above. Never knew that can putfew drops of lemon for greater taste.
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing.
P/s: One day should find out what is Swiss Chard. So colourful ?