Iron Maiden

One thing people worry about when adopting a plant-based diet is lowering their iron level. While it’s true that red meat is a good source of dietary iron and protein, we often forget that plants pack a whallop of both nutrients.

The proof is in the blood pudding today (Gross? Sorry.) .  I was scheduled to donate blood, but like the masses, worried that my iron count might be low because I haven’t been eating animal protein. I would have been really bummed if I couldn’t donate, since (selfishly) it’s personally rewarding and I was looking forward to feeling like I contributed to the greater good today. So I was a bit nervous when I sat down for the finger-prick iron test.

I scored a 15.7 – which is well above the minimum requirement. The last time I gave blood, I was closer to the minimum, and I had been eating plenty of meat.

Goes to show ya – dark, leafy greens seem to be your best source of iron. My grandmother always convinced me to eat them by saying they’d put “color in my cheeks.”  I suppose I need some extra color today since I lost a pint of the rosy stuff!

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