These are the 7 best sources of iron

Iron is essential for your health: it ensures the transport of oxygen through your blood and it helps your body to produce important antibodies. If you do not get enough iron, complaints such as headache, fatigue and shortness of breath can occur.

Avoid a shortage by regularly eating these seven iron-rich foods.

1. Lentils
Lentils are for sale all year round and they are a great source of iron, fiber and protein. A serving of 150 grams is enough to provide you with a third of your daily iron requirement (in women 8 milligrams, in men 15 milligrams).

2. Red meat
Research by the University of Newcastle has shown that people who regularly eat red meat suffer less from an iron deficiency than people who eat other types of meat or no meat at all. However, this does not mean that you have to eat like a red meat: do not eat more than 500 grams a day and also read a number of meatless days per week.

3. Quinoa
Replace your pasta or rice with this gluten-free alternative: quinoa is an excellent source of iron! Make sure you cook the quinoa slowly to prevent the acid in the quinoa from reducing the absorption of iron and other minerals.

4. Pumpkin seeds
Did you know that a handful of pumpkin seeds provide you with almost twenty percent of your daily recommended amount of iron? In addition, pumpkin seeds also contain a lot of zinc, magnesium, copper and antioxidants that protect you against various diseases.

5. Broccoli
Add a cup of steamed broccoli to your dinner and you immediately get 10 percent of the daily recommended amount of iron. Broccoli also contains vitamin C, which helps your body absorb iron.

6. Pistachio nuts
Did you know that pistachios contain almost four times as much iron as other nuts? Eat regularly a handful of pistachios: sprinkle them over your yogurt or just eat them as a snack.

7. Dark chocolate
From now on you can enjoy your piece of dark chocolate without guilt. With one portion you already have 20 percent of your daily recommended amount of iron inside.