Help with iron intake!

[Glitterballofdreams]

I am anaemic, and take prescribed iron supplements. However, months on I am still suffering with symptoms especially after my period.
Could someone help with meal ideas to increase my iron intake please?
Many thanks

Do you eat mince beef regularly? I always add lentils in with mine to bulk it out but it also helps with iron.

i am also a fan of a spinach, butter bean and sweet potato masala. Delicious, filling and only 250 calories a portion.

Go back to your doctor. You may need investigation as to why you are not absorbing the iron. Some hospitals will give I.v. Iron infusions if there’s an absorption problem.

Do you drink fruit juice with your iron supplements? I assume they're ferrous sulphate or ferrous fumarate.

Vit C (hence the juice) helps absorption; tea and dairy can inhibit it, so shoukd not be taken at the same time.

Food wise, leafy green veg, red meat, dried apricots.

I assume they did full bloods, do you know your B12 etc is all okay?

Animal-based (haem) iron is the most easily absorbed by the body. Other sources like pulses and green leafy veg need vitamin c to maximise their absorption. Some veg like broccoli and kale contain both iron and vitamin C
Chilli con carne is good meal for iron and it’s got red meat, beans and red peppers.
Stir fry https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sticky-green-stir-fry-beef

I also need to get more iron in my diet. I have been vegetarian since I was a teen but my iron levels have been good for the last 20+ years, just suddenly dropped. I'm under review and seeing if tablets help. Green leafy veg is good for iron, but boring! I'm trying to have a side of something like broccoli with every dinner. That way you don't necessarily have to adapt what you usually eat, just serve it as a side to your usual food. Beans are also good, so things like a bean chilli (Jamie Oliver has a great recipe) would be great as they often combine beans and sweet potato (both good for iron) and peppers (vit c, to help absorption).

Do you have a recipe for the masala please? Sounds lovely.

All the above plus avoid caffeine at meal times.

Google Lucky Iron Fish. It’s a fish (or leaf) shaped hunk of iron that you add to liquids when you’re cooking. Either that or cook more often with cast iron.

I think lentils are good for iron, you can add them to stews, sauces etc.