Top 11 Nuts Highest In Iron To Fight Anemia

What nuts are highest in iron?

Iron is one of the body’s essential elements and can be found in the myoglobin of muscle cells and also in the hemoglobin of red blood cells.

Myoglobin is a heme-containing protein that is involved in the storage and transport of oxygen to the working muscles, while hemoglobin, found at the center of red blood cells, plays a vital role in oxygen transportation throughout the body.

Health Benefits

This mineral plays an important role in the development of the brain, and this is the main reason pregnant moms are guided to increase their consumption of iron-rich foods. It also plays a role in regulating body temperature.

Moreover, it improves the quality of sleep and sleeping habits by regulating circadian rhythms and is also useful in treating insomnia.

Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is the most frequent nutritional disorder around the world, according to the WHO.

More importantly, this type of anemia is estimated to affect two billion individuals worldwide and is believed to be a high-risk factor for different disorders.

During pregnancy, this condition increases the risk for the newborn being underweight and for premature birth. In addition, menstruating women who don’t eat foods rich in this mineral are at high risk of deficiency. Symptoms of anemia include:

  • irritability, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness;
  • chest pain;
  • shortness of breath;
  • brittle nails and pale skin;
  • fast heartbeat;
  • unusually cold hands and feet;
  • reduced appetite.

Note – consuming too much of this mineral may have adverse effects on children under three years of age and people with a hereditary metabolic disorder, named hemochromatosis.

Here is a list of the best nuts with the highest iron content:

#1 Peanuts – 13,9 mg/100g (175% DV)Peanuts (Arachis Hypogaea) - Side Effects, Facts, Uses, Health Benefits

Peanuts, also named groundnuts, actually belong to the legume family and are a good source of fat, dietary protein, and other essential nutrients. They grow underground, as opposed to nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts, which grow on trees.

Consuming peanuts regularly lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes Mellitus, certain cancers, and heart disease.

#2 Macadamia Nuts – 8,5 mg/100g (106% DV)what nuts are high in iron https://pixabay.com/photos/macadamia-nut-organic-harvest-nuts-912598/

Macadamia nuts are an important source of protein, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B9 (folate), and niacin. One oz. of macadamia nuts also contains around 2.3 grams of dietary fiber.

Moreover, macadamia nuts are a storehouse of healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) that are known to be cardioprotective by helping to clean the arteries and to lower the LDL cholesterol level.

#3 Cashews – 6,7 mg/100g (84% DV)which nut is highest in iron

The cashew tree is a tropical evergreen tree that produces the cashew apple and the cashew nut. Cashews have been used in natural medicine systems for millennia to heal numerous disorders, plus, cashews are a good source of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Daily consumption of cashews can considerably lower the risk of developing gallstones.

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#4 Pine nuts – 5,5 mg/100g (69% DV)nuts with highest iron content https://pixabay.com/photos/pine-nuts-nut-protein-1098176/

Pine nuts are the seeds of pine trees and are packed with lutein and beta-carotene, both of which are known to improve eye health.

Additionally, they are an important source of the B-complex group of vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, niacin, folate, and pyridoxine.

#5 Hazelnuts – 4,7 mg/100g (59% DV)nuts highest in iron https://pixabay.com/photos/hazelnuts-protein-healthy-2715924/

Hazelnuts, also known as filberts, can be enjoyed roasted, raw, in a paste, or as an ingredient in many healthy dishes.

Furthermore, hazelnuts are an excellent source of vitamins, dietary fiber, minerals, and other nutritious phytochemicals.

#6 Almonds – 3,7 mg/100g (46% DV)nuts with the most iron

Almonds have key nutrients to heart health, including magnesium, arginine, manganese, copper, potassium, and calcium.

They are a good source of antioxidants that help to defend against oxidative stress, which can lead to premature aging and diseases such as cancer, also causing damage to the molecules in cells.

#7 Pistachios – 3,6 mg/100g (45% DV)are pecans high in iron

The minerals, vitamins, unsaturated fats, protein, and dietary fiber found in pistachios are all very important for your health.

For instance, they contain 60 percent of the daily required phosphorous, a mineral that can prevent diabetes.

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#8 Walnuts – 2,9 mg/100g (36% DV)are walnuts high in iron

The polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids found in walnuts have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Moreover, walnuts contain considerable amounts of alpha-lipoic acid.

#9 Pecans – 2,5 mg/100g (32% DV)which nut has the most iron https://pixabay.com/photos/pecan-toasted-nuts-candied-nuts-1090266/

Pecans are probably the most popular edible nuts native to Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

Pecans contain essential nutrients, like – antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins which improve your health.

#10 Brazil nuts – 2,4 mg/100g (30% DV)which nuts have the most iron

Brazil nuts are the densest food source of selenium, an essential mineral that acts as an antioxidant and has many important roles in our body.

They are also great for inflammatory problems in the physical body.

#11 Chestnuts – 2,4 mg/100 (30% DV)nuts with iron https://pixabay.com/photos/chestnut-fruit-food-snack-shiny-1710748/

Chestnuts are popular edible nuts of the northern hemisphere origin and have considerable nutritional value.

They are a good source of fiber and antioxidants, which can help to protect against heart disease and cancer.

Additionally, chestnuts contain a type of starch that is slowly absorbed by the body, making them a good choice for diabetics or those on a low-carb diet.

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Other iron-rich plant foods:kale

  • Vegetables – spinach, asparagus, beet greens, potatoes, and kale.
  • Legumes – chickpeas, soybeans, red kidney beans, lentils, white beans, and lima beans.
  • Seeds – pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds.
  • Dried fruits – apricots, prunes, and raisins.
  • Grains – rice, millet, barley, oat bran, oatmeal, buckwheat.
  • Blackstrap molasses.

Tips

Coffee, tea (due to tannins), wine, prolonged use of antacids, and chronic diarrhea can negatively influence iron absorption. More importantly, eggs and dairy products (due to certain forms of calcium and casein content from milk), such as – cheese (all types), yogurt, and milk, also interfere with the absorption of this mineral.

However, foods high in vitamin C, like tomatoes, kale, oranges, grapefruits, kiwis, guava, berries, and broccoli, can improve the absorption of iron.

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References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11396694
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1245887
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24482777

8 thoughts on “Top 11 Nuts Highest In Iron To Fight Anemia”

  1. Your article about iron content of various nuts would be encouraging if getting the iron’s benefit were as simple as eating the nuts. However, some nutrition-related websites say that many nuts contain compounds preventing you from absorbing the iron those very nuts contain. For example, customcarenutrition.com says that nuts can have tannins, oxalates and phytates, all of which inhibit iron absorption. The website says that soaking the nuts in water can leach out those compounds, but also removes beneficial vitamins. I’m learning that dealing effectively with anemia with a proper diet can be a complex undertaking. Do any of you fellow readers of this site have any expert advice?

    Reply
    • Whenever consuming something with iron you must have vitamin C along with it to make the iron absorb into the body I.e have some red peppers or a small glass of orange juice with your spinach/steak.
      When eating spinach for iron, it’s best to cook it as amino acids in spinach when eating it raw can reduce the intake of iron, cooking it gets rid of the amino acids.
      Dairy can also stop the absorption of iron and so can certain cereals such as oats.

      Reply

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