High Iron

These high iron recipes are just what the dietitian ordered for heart health!

Too little iron can lead to anemia, which can leave you feeling run down and lethargic. Iron deficiency is common in people with heart disease, so it's important to make sure you get enough.

On the other hand, too much iron can increase your risk for coronary heart disease.

Further complicating the matter, there seems to be a difference in cardiovascular risk between the two types of iron: heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron is found only in animal sources: red meat, poultry, and seafood. Non-heme iron is found in plants: whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens.

Heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body, but a higher intake of heme iron is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Non-heme iron isn't associated with cardiovascular disease, but also isn't absorbed quite as well. We can increase its absorption by including vitamin C sources in the same meal.

The recipes in this section are all heart healthy, high iron recipes, with at least 20% daily value. Since heme iron is associated with cardiovascular disease, all our recipes contain delicious non-heme iron sources only.