5 Iron-Rich Foods To Improve Muscle Recovery After A Workout
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Add These Iron-Rich Foods To Your Grocery Cart
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m sharing 5 iron-rich foods to add to your grocery cart to improve muscle recovery after a workout.
That’s right, we’re talking the kind of iron found in your food, not the stuff you’re pumping at the gym.
But first, let’s see how well you know your iron.
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In the comment section below, tell me the first food that comes to your mind when you think of the mineral, iron.
All right, thank you for participating.
Health Benefits Of Consuming Iron Rich Foods
We all know you need to pump iron to Live Lean.
But do you also know why it’s important to consume the mineral iron in your diet?
Consuming iron is especially important for women who, how should I say this, have a “monthly visitor”.
Iron is an important mineral to help you recover faster from your workouts, and keep your energy and immune system high.
Think about it, iron helps deliver oxygen from your red blood cells to your muscles.
See how this could be important when you’re pumping iron in the gym?
Recommended Daily Amount Of Iron For Men And Women
Here’s the typical recommended daily amount (RDA) of iron for men and women:
- Men and postmenopausal women: 8mg per day
- Premenopausal women: 18mg per day
Premenopausal women obviously require more, because of their “monthly visitor”.
Heme Vs Non-Heme Iron-Rich Foods
Before I give you the top 5 iron-rich foods, let me clarify how iron-rich foods can be broken down into 2 categories.
- Heme
- Non-heme
- Heme: simply means the iron is comes from animal sources, thus is better absorbed in the body.
- Non-heme: means the iron comes from plant sources, which tends to not be absorbed as well as animal sources.
Live Lean Tip: to increase your non-heme iron absorption, combine plant based iron-rich foods with foods high in vitamin c, like citrus fruits and bell peppers.
Vitamin C helps absorb non-heme iron.
All right, let’s keep it moving.
Now that you know the benefits of iron and how much you need in your diet, here are the best 5 iron-rich foods for fitness.
5 Iron-Rich Foods To Improve Muscle Recovery After A Workout
Heme Iron-Rich Option #1: Beef
We all know beef is packed with muscle building and fat burning protein.
But did you know, in just 3 ounces of beef, there’s approximately 5mg of iron, which equals 66% of your RDA.
Try the Steak & Spinach Salad recipe on page 72 of my Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook for a delicious way to add more beef to your diet.
Heme Iron-Rich Option #2: Oysters
Oysters are also pumped full of calcium, and are also known to be a natural aphrodisiac.
In other words, they help in the bum-chic-a-wow-wow department, you feel me?
In just 3 oz of oysters, there’s approximately 6 mg of iron, which equals 74% of your RDA.
I like oysters as a quick snack from a can, especially if they’re in olive oil.
However, if the oysters are made with or stored in vegetable oils, just wash it off with water.
Damn that’s good.
All right, let’s move on to the plant based non-heme iron-rich options.
Non-Heme Iron-Rich Option #3: Spinach
Listen to your boy Popeye, because spinach is loaded with iron.
In 1 cup of spinach there is approximately 6mg of iron, which equals 80% of your RDA.
Spinach is also loaded with vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, calcium, and potassium to help build stronger muscles.
Go try my 3 Minute Egg and Spinach Omelet recipe on page 57 of my Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook for a quick way to add more spinach in your diet.
Non-Heme Iron-Rich Option #4: Tomatoes
Tomatoes are packed with antioxidants to help keep your skin looking younger.
1 cup of tomatoes also has approximately 3mg of iron, which equals 42% of your RDA.
Try my Perfect Steak and Spinach with Cherry tomatoes recipe on page 68 of my Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook to add more of each of these iron-rich foods to your diet.
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Non-Heme Iron-Rich Option #5: Potatoes
Potatoes are my choice for post workout complex carbohydrates.
A small potato contains approximately 3mg of iron, which equals 34% of your RDA.
Try my Dreaming of Hawaii Sweet Potatoes recipe on page 107 of my Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook for a delicious sweet potato dish.
If you’re concerned about your iron being too low, or in some cases too high, get a blood test done by your doctor.
Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook System
For more recipe ideas using these iron-rich foods, check out my Eat Clean Live Lean Cookbook system for over 200 quick, healthy, easy, affordable, and delicious recipes and snacks.
You will also get access to an 8 week meal plan, with recipes, and grocery lists to supercharge your results faster.
It’s amazing the tasty snacks and meals you can come up with, using all real healthy ingredients.
I pity those “dieters” ruining their sustainable chances of Living Lean by eating boring foods.
Click here to get over 200 quick, healthy, easy, affordable, and delicious recipes.
Or join Team Live Lean where we share cooking lesson recipe videos and weekly meal plans for our inner circle members.
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Question Of The Day:
- Have you ever had your iron levels tested?
- Do you eat these 5 iron-rich foods regularly?
Share your experiences in the comment section below.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
I find it so hard to eat meat…
I eat it then I feel a really nasty irritation in my stomach 🙁 any advice?
(I eat chiken breast & Turkey breast)
i need that cookbook!
What a coinky-dink! I just went to my watch page, and i saw this video. I’m
taking supplements because I just got diagnosed this week with extreme iron
deficiency anemia, which i believe is a result of my changing my eating
habits for my weightloss journey. So, thank you for this vid – now I’ll
know what I can eat when my levels are back to normal 🙂
Spinach
Red meet
Great video, nice amount of variety 🙂
Oysters r gross
Peas brad??
he didn’t mention it, but 1/2 cup of cocoa powder has about 100 calories
and 6 mg of iron….mix with 2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk,
add some stevia and….BAM! low calorie chocolate-iron pudding!
chocolate…..or cocoa powder really
First food that comes to mine is broccoli
Spinach
Peanuts
Your hair is good bro!!
Spinach is the first food that comes to my mind! 🙂
Kale
Arugula!
Lettuce
Spinach!
Love your workout videos, but seriously your nutrition videos not so much..
Chicken liver & chicken gazzards and heart are my two favourites.
Spinach
monthly visitor lol
spinach
tomatoes
Liver!
Dude what happened to your hair?
Are you kidding me? Liver not in the list? it has more iron than beef
muscle.