Iron on raw diet (without spinach, pumpkin seeds, etc.)

[khookie]

Hi all

I've just started on a raw vegan diet and was hoping if someone could answer a question that's been bugging me awhile (Google hasn't turned up very much on the issue).

My question is, given that one eats enough calories of primarily fruits, some vegetables and a bit of nuts for fat, is it necessary to eat foods that are specifically high in iron, like spinach, pumpkin seeds, etc.?

I checked NutritionData and it seems like all fruits and vegetables have very small amounts of iron in them. But it all adds up, and in my case with ~4kg of fruit/veg I'm having per day, I'm having about 12mg a day.

So is this alright? Or should I supplement? I will get checked out every 3mths in any case, but I wanted to get people's opinions so I can get it right sooner rather than later.

Chris

[IFeelGood]

Chris,
I have been wondering the same thing lately. I have been eating a mostly raw and mostly vegan diet for about 6 months now, however I do eat fish 1 or 2 times a week. I recently donated blood and my hemoglobin was just at the borderline of the amount that the blood center requires. Normally, before I started eating this way, my hemoglobin was always over 15, every time. This time it was barely at 12. Since this has never happened before, I am assuming it is the raw diet.

I am now concerned about my iron levels. I eat green smoothies with spinach every day but this obviously has not made a difference. I do not like to use supplements so I am trying to figure other ways to get iron. I guess pumpkin seeds and prunes might be a good way to start. I am going to donate blood again in about 6 weeks and should know if this works or not. If not, I guess I may try supplements.
Tee

[ripcurly]

If you are eating as you say you are, which is basically 80/10/10, then you should have no problem. One thing that is very important is that you eat enough tender greens. I eat on average about a 1-2 heads of lettuce a day.

Chris, just because you are eating foods with iron doesn't mean you are absorbing that iron. It is about you eat as well as what you don't eat. Fish certainly doesn't contribute to a healthy diet, and a healthy human being.

[Jennihul]

Raw blood, I guess.

Me? I'd take the spinach...

Jennifer