Best Iron-Rich Foods for Your Kids
By Annie Gager, MS, RD
May 23rd, 2024
What foods contain iron and why should you be concerned if your kids are getting enough of it? Iron is a mineral often found in plant and animal food sources. It is an important component of hemoglobin which helps our bodies carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our bodies. If we become deficient in iron, our bodies won’t be getting the oxygen it needs.
Iron Needs By Age
Infants ages 6 months to 1 year need 11 milligrams of iron per day.
Toddlers ages 1 year to 3 years need 7 milligrams of iron per day.
Kids between the ages of 4 and 8 need 10 milligrams of iron per day.
Older children between 9 and 13 years of age need 8 milligrams of iron per day.
Teenagers need a little bit more iron each day since they often are growing very quickly. Teenage boys need 11 milligrams per day, while teenage girls need 15 milligrams per day due to the lost iron through menstruation.
Complications of Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency can result in various health consequences ranging from mild deficiency to iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia results when the blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells. Untreated, this can impair child growth and development. Signs of iron deficiency include; pale skin, fatigue, cold hands and feet, poor appetite, abnormally rapid breathing, frequent infections, and behavior problems.
Thankfully, iron deficiency can be prevented with adequate intake of iron. There are many foods that are high in iron. Animal meat is high in iron and best absorbed source, but there are many great vegetable sources as well. Below is a list of iron rich foods that you should be adding into your family’s diet.
Foods that are High in Iron:
Beef, chicken, pork
Seafood
Oatmeal
Fortified cereals
Fortified pasta and rice
Spinach
Raisins
Beans
Chickpeas
Peas
Soy products
Pumpkin seeds/puree
Improving Iron Absorption
It is important to know that your body easily and more efficiently absorbs iron from meat sources than it does from any other source. Not to worry though because combining iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods, iron absorption is increased. Foods that are high in vitamin C that can be combined with iron-rich foods are; oranges/orange juice, grapefruit, broccoli, kiwi, peppers, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Putting It Into Practice
Okay so what are some ways you can actually get your child to eat iron rich foods?
Smoothies are a great way to add spinach or pumpkin seeds/puree into their diet. Spinach is nearly tasteless when mixed with sweeter fruits like pineapple or mango. Pumpkin can be a great smoothie addition during the fall by making pumpkin pie smoothies.
Black beans can be added to many recipes without your children even knowing it. Beans can be added to ground meat with taco seasoning or even added into brownies! Black bean brownie recipes are all over the internet and I promise, they actually taste great!
Incorporate iron-fortified cereals into your child’s breakfast. Oatmeal, Cheerios, Rice Krispies and Cornflakes are all great sources of iron. By eating a bowl of cereal in the morning with a glass of orange juice, your child will be receiving so much iron to start their day off right!
