Your body counts on a steady stream of iron for many vital functions. And while lean meat, seafood, and leafy greens are typically counted as good sources of iron, fruits can also pitch in to help you meet your daily quota.
The recommended intake of iron for adult men aged 50 and under is 8 mg while for women that age it is 18 mg. If you are pregnant, you need to increase intake to 27 mg.
All adults, male and female, over 50 need to have just 8 mg of iron a day. If you are a vegetarian, you need to have 1.8 times the recommended value to get enough of this mineral.
Here are five fruits that will give you tasty and refreshing iron boost:
Watermelons
What’s life without delicious watermelons? Add chunks to your fruit salad or toss them with mint to make refreshing tummy filler. A wedge of yummy watermelon will provide you with 0.69 mg of iron, meeting 3.8% of your daily value. A handy tip to make sure you are getting ripe watermelon: tap on them and you should hear a hollow sound. And if you buy cut slices, pick ones with black rather than white seeds.
Coconut
A cup of slippery sweet and juicy coconut meat from this drupe has 1.94 mg of iron. You can add it to your baking. If you want a simpler way to use coconuts, just take the cream and whip up a quick Thai curry with vegetables. A cup of coconut cream has 5.47 mg of iron so it will go a long way
Pumpkins
Pumpkins are a great source of nutrition and fiber. One cup of cooked pumpkin will give you 1.40 mg of iron, which is 7.7% of your daily value. Add it to soups and stews for a creamy flavor. And let’s not forget everybody’s favorite sweet treat – pumpkin pie! Just one slice of it can get you 1.97 mg of iron.
Olives
Widely found across the Mediterranean, olives can lift the flavor of any salad. And don’t forget how they well they work in a creamy pasta or as a pizza topping. You can chop them up and add to pasta and salads. Five large olives will give you .75 mg of iron.
Dates
These rich, decadent ripe fruit can also add to your iron intake. One pitted date can give you 0.22 mg. Eat about 5 and you get 1.1 mg of iron. They make a great snack and can even be used to sweeten your cereal. They also make a great addition to biscuits, cakes, and other desserts and they pair well with cheese too.