10 Best Iron-rich Foods For Your Growing Kids

We will have a look at the top 10 sources of food rich in iron which kids should include in their diet. Check out 10 Best Iron-rich Foods For Your Growing Kids.

Iron is one of the most important minerals needed by the body. Iron is required to produce hemoglobin which is a protein found in red blood cells and is responsible for carrying oxygen to all the cells of the body through blood.

Without enough iron, children will have less hemoglobin and therefore, will develop a condition known as the iron deficiency.

Anemia, which is the very common, yet undetected condition in children and is linked with delayed motor skills, behavioral problems, weak muscles, social withdrawals, learning issues, and weak immune system.

Iron is one of the most essential nutrients required in the toddler age. Children aged between 1 to 3 years need 7 milligrams per day and kids aged between four to eight years require 10 milligrams per day of iron in their diet.

Kids who are underweight require more iron than normal weight babies.

There are two forms of iron in our diet Heme and Nonheme. Plants contain non-heme iron which is not so easily absorbed by the body.

Meat and seafood include both human long heme iron. If your child is a mostly vegetarian then double the amount of iron is recommended.

Iron is better absorbed with vitamin C, so it is recommended to take vitamin C rich sources of food along with iron diet.

Meat and poultry:

Meat and poultry
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Meat and poultry are rich sources of heme iron which is easily absorbed by the body.

Both red portions of meat like beef liver, organ meats and poultry like dark chicken and turkey meat are rich and heme iron.

Try to put pieces of meat and chicken in foods like noodles and soup for kids.

Cereals and oatmeal fortified:

bhf.org.uk

Cereals like Cheerios are rich in iron both dry and instant fortified portions of cereal contain a huge amount of iron.

Mix them with cold or hot milk and serve the child daily and in breakfast add some strawberries or blueberries to enrich them with vitamin C to increase iron absorption.

Beans:

Beans
healthline.com

Beans like soybeans, kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas, lentils are fortified with iron chickpeas make a very tasty as well, as healthy snacks for kids try dishes like baked beans with some bread for kids and adults.

Dried fruits:

Dried fruits
healthline.com

Dried fruits like raisins, prunes, dates, and apricots are the excellent sources of iron and they are tasty too about 1 cup of raisins alone can provide your kid one milligram of iron.

Peanuts and peanut butter:

Peanuts and peanut butter
foodnavigator.com

Both peanuts and peanut butter are sources of iron use peanut butter instead of plain butter to get more nutrients, especially iron.

Eggs:

Eggs
cookinglight.com

Egg yolks are a great source of iron. Give oranges along with scrambled eggs for an iron-rich breakfast to your kids.

Seafood:

Seafood
fisheries.noaa.gov

Seafood like tuna, shrimps, and the clam is an excellent source of oil. Many kids shy away from seafood so give them mix in soup or noodles or pasta.

Sweet potatoes:

Sweet potatoes
bonappetit.com

Sweet potatoes are rich in iron as well as vitamin C about half a cup contains two point five milligrams of iron make French fries out of sweet potatoes or eat them plain in boiled homes

Dark leafy vegetables:

Dark leafy vegetables
superlife.com

Dark leafy vegetables like spinach fenugreek leave kale or collard are a rich source of iron since they contain non-Hawaiian, try to serve fruits along with them or sprinkle a few drops of lime on the cooked vegetables to give birth taste and iron-rich food.

Quinoa:

Quinoa
thepioneerwoman.com

About half a cup of quinoa seeds contains 8 milligrams of iron making it an iron-rich diet for vegetarians.

Add quinoa seeds to salads or soups and consume them even raw with water.