Spinach: Various health benefits explained by farmer

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Iron-rich foods are important to incorporate into your diet. Iron is important as it helps transports oxygen throughout the body. It’s also essential for a healthy immune system. Everyone knows that Spinach is packed with this mineral but what foods will boost your iron levels?

Iron deficiency also known as anaemia is caused by a lack of iron.

Whilst its common to become iron deficient after blood loss or during pregnancy, many Brits are unknowingly suffering from this condition which could have serious health implications.

The World Health Organisation say about one-fourth of the world’s population suffer from anaemia.

Common symptoms of iron deficiency include:

• Tiredness and lack of energy
• Shortness of breath

• Noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
• Pale skin and fingernails
• Headaches and dizziness

Don’t panic if you think you could be suffering from an iron deficiency you can easily boost your levels by incorporating these foods into your diet.

What foods are high in iron?

Tinned tomatoes

Surprisingly plain tomatoes don’t pack much of a punch when it comes to iron but the tinned stewed variety delivers a decent 4mg or 21 percent of your daily value in just one cup.

Even sun-dried tomatoes or tomato paste have a considerable amount of iron.

So your tomato pasta staple might be helping towards your iron intake more than you think.

Spinach (obviously)

Long associated with Popeye spinach is famously packed with iron.

Other dark leafy greens such as kale also deliver on the iron front.

Half a cup of boiled drained spinach has around 17percent or 3mg of the iron you’ll need a day. 

Beans

Iron isn’t just found in dark leafy greens, many beans such as cannellini beans also known as white beans are packed with this essential mineral.

Just one cup of these delicious beans will give you 8mg of iron which is around 44percent of your daily intake.

They can be added to many dishes simply stir into a chilli, top salads with them or even mix them into curries.

These beans soak up flavours and won’t overpower your dishes so you’ll hardly notice they’re there.

Tofu

Often it’s thought vegans can struggle to reach their iron requirements as they miss out on iron packed meats such as beef (three ounces has 2mg of iron in it).

But, this plant-based staple packs in a decent 3mg of iron or 17 percent of the iron you’ll need a day.

Kidney beans and chickpeas are iron-rich foods, a cup of either deliver 4mg which is around 22 percent of the iron intake you’ll need a day.

Potatoes

A baked potato makes for a quick and easy mid-week meal but it can also help you meet your daily iron requirements.

But you’ll need to eat the skin as that’s where all the nutrients are.

A single medium baked potato has 11 percent of your daily intake requirements which means it is packed with 2mg of iron.

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