Excerpt from The Birth Center Client Manual
Sources of Iron
All over the world, more people, regardless of social class, are deficient in iron than in any other nutrient. The greatest single cause of iron deficiency is the consumption of refined flour and grains (found in breads and cereals) and refined sugar (found in all virtually all processed foods). A varied and well-balanced diet will go a long way toward supplying the iron you need. Little amounts of iron from many foods add up.
| Food | Iron,
in milligrams |
Food | Iron,
in milligrams |
|
| Almonds | 3.3 | Garbanzo beans, 1 cup cooked | 7.9 | |
| Collards, cooked, 2 cups | 3.0 | Pinto beans, 1 cup cooked | 6.1 | |
| Dandelion greens, 1 cup | 5.6 | Navy beans, 1 cup cooked | 5.1 | |
| Beef liver, 2 ounces | 4.4 | Lima Beans, 1 cup cooked | 5.1 | |
| Shrimp, 3 ounces | 2.6 | Soy beans, 1 cup cooked | 4.9 | |
| Prune juice, 1 cup | 10.5 | Lentils, 1 cup cooked | 4.2 | |
| Black beans, 1 cup cooked | 7.9 | Spinach, 1 cup cooked | 4.0 | |
| Tofu, 4 ounces | 2.3 | Peach halves, dried, 5 | 3.0 | |
| Tomato juice, 1 cup | 2.2 | Millet, ¼ cup dried | 3.9 | |
| Wheat berries, 1/3 cup, dry | 2.1 | Sunchokes, 4 small | 3.4 | |
| Butternut squash, 1 cup baked | 2.1 | Split peas, green, 1 cup cooked | 3.4 | |
| Pumpkin seeds, 2 tablespoons | 2.0 | Blackstrap molasses, 1 tablespoon | 3.2 | |
| Wheat bran, ¼ cup | 1.9 | Peas, fresh, 1 cup cooked | 2.9 | |
| Soybean milk, 1 cup | 1.8 | Beet greens, 1 cup cooked | 2.8 | |
| Kale, 1 cup cooked | 1.8 | Raisins, ½ cup | 2.6 | |
| Prunes, 5 cooked | 1.8 | Chard, 1 cup cooked | 2.6 | |
| Acorn squash, ½ baked | 1.7 | Brussels sprouts, 8 cooked | 1.7 | |
| Strawberries, 1 cup | 1.5 | Torula yeast, 1 tablespoon | 1.5 | |
| Potato, 1 large, cooked | 1.4 |
Average Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances
| Non-Pregnant | Pregnant | |
| Energy | 2,000 calories | 2,300 calories |
| Protein** | 44 grams | 75 grams |
| Vitamin A | 5,000 I.U. | 6, 700 I.U. |
| Ascorbic Acid | 60 milligrams | 80 milligrams |
| Folacin | 400 mcg. | 800 mcg. |
| Niacin | 13 mg. | 15 mgs |
| Riboflavin | 1.2 mg. | 4 mcg. |
| Vitamin B-12 | 3 mcg. | 4 mcg. |
| Calcium | 800 mg. | 1200 mg. |
| Phosphorous | 800 mg. | 1200 mg. |
| Iodine | 150 mcg. | 175 mcg. |
| Magnesium | 300 mg. | 450 mg. |
| Zinc | 15 mg. | 20 mg. |
| Vitamin E | 8 mg. | 10 mg. |
| Iron | 15-18 mg | 27 mg |
You may look up the nutritional value of the various foods you select in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook, No. 456, Composition of Foods, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. May be purchased from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Worth Street, between LaFayette and Broadway (North end of Foley Square).
Go to usda.gov choose Topics then Food and Nutrition.