When you think of iron, do you conjure up images of things like metal flag poles, bridges, or construction beams?  Do wrought iron fences come to mind?  What about the iron you use for pressing your clothes?  You might also want to start thinking about it as a nutrient, because iron is an important element of your diet, and just as it’s a strong construction material, it can keep you strong and healthy.

Your body needs iron to aid in the production of the protein hemoglobin.  Hemoglobin is found in your red blood cells.  Without hemoglobin, oxygen can’t be properly transported throughout your body.  In addition, iron assists in the function of cells and proper brain functioning.

So, knowing how important iron is, how do you get more iron in your diet?  You can’t just sit down and eat a bar of the stuff.  The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of iron for adult females between the ages of 19 and 50 is 18 milligrams per day (if you’re pregnant, you’ll require more).  Many people get their iron from meat products, but what if you’re not a big meat eater?  With a solid diet, it’s not hard to get all the iron you need.  Here are some other sources of iron:

Spinach:  Now you know why Popeye was “strong to the finish.”  Try eating a little of this powerful green.  Just one cup of cooked spinach has 6.4 milligrams of iron.  You can usually pick up a bunch of spinach for under $3.

Soybeans:  One cup of cooked soybeans has 8.8 milligrams of iron.  If you like edamame, eat up!  You can usually find a bag of frozen edamame for around $3.

Legumes:  You probably have at least one bean or legume you like, even if you’re not a fan of them all.  Remember, they’re not called the “magical fruit” for nothing.  Just one cup of lentils has more than 6 milligrams of iron while lima beans have over 4.  And beans are inexpensive.  If you buy a bag of dry beans, you’ll have enough for several meals, usually for between $2 and $3.  If you prefer to buy them in cans, you can usually get one for less than one dollar, no matter what bean you like.

Use a cast-iron skillet for cooking:  It might seem odd, but cooking in a cast iron skillet increases how much iron you take in.  A cast-iron skillet is a great investment, so even though you’ll spend between $10 to $15, a good one will last you a lifetime.  It’s the gift to yourself that will keep giving!

Blackstrap molasses:  This sugar byproduct contains 7.2 milligrams of iron in just two little tablespoons!  Try using it in place of corn syrup for a huge dose of iron.  You should be able to find a bottle of blackstrap molasses at your local supermarket for between $5 and $10.  The best thing is you don’t have to refrigerate it (although you can) and it has a long shelf life.

You can see it’s not difficult to get enough iron.  Knowing how important it is to your body is reason enough to make sure you get plenty of it.  The best news?  You don’t have to spend a fortune to make sure you get all you need.

Sources:
CU-Davis:  http://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/content/infosheets/IronAndAnemiaFact.pdf />
Harvard:  http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/hemoglobin.html />
CDC:  http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/iron.html />
Ask Dr. Sears:  http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t043100.asp />
NIH:  http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron/ />
VRG:  http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm#table1 /> UI-Urbana-Champaign: 
http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/dietary_sources_iron.html