Iron is a very important mineral. It is an important part of hemoglobin , the substance that carries oxygen throughout the whole body. Iron is absorbed more efficiently during pregnancy. It is therefore essential to consume more of this mineral  during pregnancy to ensure that both you and your baby are getting enough oxygen.
 

 

How much iron should a pregnant woman consume  ?

 
Pregnant women need  about 27 milligrams (mg) of iron daily. There are natural ways to get this mineral  during pregnancy. One of the best ways  is to  eat highly fortified breakfast cereal. There are also other foods that are a great source of iron such as dark chocolate.

Food that are a rich source of nutrients .

 
Vegetables : Vegetables that are rich in this mineral include the following :

• kale
• collard
• broccolli
• spinach, cooked
•  tomatoes, canned , stewed
• chard
• green beans
• sweet potatoes
• green beans

Fruits : Fruits that contain this mineral  include the following :

• water melon
• prunes
• strawberries
• figs
• dried peaches
• dried apricots
• raisins
• prunes

 
Egg and meat : This mineral  is high in eggs and the following meat :

• beef
• chicken
• shrimp
• ham
• lamb
• pork
• veal
• oysters ( cooked )
• turkey
• clamps

 
Bread  cereals and starches  : The following foods are good sources of this mineral :

• oat cereal
• bran cereal
• enriched pasta
• enriched rice
• baked potato
• corn meal

 
Beans , legumes and nuts : Other good sources of this important mineral  include :

• beans ( white beans , chicken peas, kidney peas )
• pistachio
• cashew
• dried peas
• lentils
• pumpkin/squash seeds

Absorption of iron

 
Not all the foods that contain iron have equal amount of this mineral to be absorbed by the body. There are two types , heme  iron and non- heme iron. The heme type is found in poultry, meat and fish. The non heme type  include  both plants foods such as  (vegetables, beans,  fortified grains )  and meat. The body readily absorbs  the heme type than the non heme type. It is therefore important to eat all  the  various sources of iron. It is also best to pair non heme iron sources with foods rich in vitamins C  because vitamin C aids in iron absorption.

Some vitamin C rich foods include :

• oranges
• bell peppers
• guava
• kiwi
• strawberries
• cantaloupe
• papaya
• brussel sprouts