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Iron Rich Foods

 

Did you know that the average adult female requires 18 milligrams of iron a day, while the average male requires 10 milligrams?  Normally, you should eat a balanced diet that includes iron-rich foods; but at a minimum, please adjust your diet for at least one week prior to donating blood platelets to minimize the risk of being deferred.  Below are some good dietary sources of iron:

Bread and Cereal

Bread and Cereal

  • Enriched breads
  • Iron-fortified cereal
  • Whole-grain breads

Fish/Seafood

Fish/Seafood

  • Clams
  • Oysters
  • Sardines
  • Scallops
  • Shrimp
  • Tuna

Fruits

Fruits

  • Dates
  • Dried apricots
  • Dried peaches
  • Dried prunes
  • Raisins
  • Watermelon

Meats/Poultry

Meats/Poultry

  • Chicken
  • Eggs
  • Ham
  • Liver
  • Liver sausage
  • Meat (lean pork and lean beef)
  • Turkey
  • Veal

Vegetables

Vegetables

  • Beets
  • Dried beans
  • Dried peas
  • Leafy greens
  • Spinach

Other Foods

Other Foods

  • Eggs (any style)
  • Corn syrup
  • Maple syrup
  • Lentils
  • Dried peas
  • Dried beans