Your need for iron will increase 100 percent over your pre-pregnancy requirements. The Food and Drug Association (FDA) recommends 27 micrograms of iron a day when you’re pregnant. If you have too little iron in your diet, you may become anemic. To avoid this, your physician may suggest you take iron supplements, especially if you are a vegetarian. If you are feeling extremely lethargic, discuss this with your doctor— it may be more than pregnancy tiredness and a sign of anemia. Note: iron supplements can make you constipated—so eat those apricots and prunes and drink lots of water! Here are some foods that are high in iron:
- Lean red meats (beef sirloin, lean ground beef, ground chuck)
- Green leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, kale, bok choy)
- Beans (black, pinto, navy or kidney beans, chick peas, lentils, black-eyed peas, tofu)
- Whole grain bread and cereal
- Brown or converted rice
- Dried fruit (apricots, raisins, prunes)
- Enriched pasta
Amrit’s Vegetarian Lentil Chili
- 1 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed and drained
- One (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- One (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- One green bell pepper, chopped
- One medium onion, chopped
- One carrot, chopped
- One garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Boil lentils in a medium saucepan with 4 cups water. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the lentils begin to soften.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and continue to simmer about forty minutes, until the lentils are tender.
3. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese, or serve over brown rice.
