Iron 101 Smoothie: Tropical Fruit Flavor and

Rich in Iron By Tracy Russell

Here’s a great smoothie for iron (and calcium). The dark, leafy greens in this recipe are

masked by the ripe, flavorful fruit. I did detect a subtle “green” flavor, but it’s just a

hint and mostly from the fresh-tasting Italian parsley. If you’d like to mask the green

flavor further, simply add an extra banana or a cup of fresh pineapple. A handful of

raspberries or strawberries would enhance the flavor further while adding even more

iron! I really liked this recipe as-is, though.

If you are wondering why I call this smoothie recipe “Iron 101″, it’s because it has

101% of your daily value of iron. A significant amount of iron comes from the fresh

parsley which has 47% of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron alone. *

Pregnant women should not consume parsley. Parsley contains an essential oils called

apiole. Apiole is a kidney stimulant. Because this essential oil can stimulate uterine

contractions, pregnant women should avoid eating large quantities of it.

Iron 101 Smoothie Recipe

1 ripe mango, peeled and pitted

2 large ripe bananas, peeled

3 cups kale

1 cup fresh, Italian parsley (or use curly parsley)

4 to 6 ounces of filtered water

Start by adding the liquid to your blender (I use a Vitamix), followed by the soft fruit.

Add the greens to your blender last. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie

is creamy.

Nutrition Information Calories:498

Fat:3g

Protein:12g

Carbohydrates: 121g

Calcium:32%RDA(RecommendedDailyAllowance)

Iron:101%RDA*

VitaminA:1257%RDA

Vitamin C: 447% RDA

This smoothie is also a rich source of folate, vitamins B1 – B6, vitamin E, vitamin K,

copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and potassium.

Serving Size: One. (This recipe makes a large, 32-ounce smoothie. It is a meal-

replacement smoothie and not a snack. I recommend drinking half right away and the

other half about 30 minutes later. If it is too much for you, store leftovers in a sealed

container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)

* Special Note for Women and Vegetarians/Vegans: This green smoothie provides

8 milligrams (mg) or 101% of the recommended dietary iron intake for adult men and

post menopausal women. Adult, pre-menopausal women need 18mg of iron per day.

Vegetarians and vegans also need a higher dietary intake of iron due to the difference

in bio-availability of animal-sourced and plant-sourced iron. An adult male following a

vegetarian diet should consume about 14 mg of iron daily while vegetarian, pre-

menopausal women should strive for 33 mg daily. These figures are based on

recommendations set in 2000 by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of

Sciences. website.

Let’s Talk Iron + Smoothie Recipe!

Blackstrap molasses (20% RDA for 1 tablespoon!)

Spinach

Kale and other leafy greens

Spirulina and other sea vegetables

Lentils and other legumes

Black beans

Dark chocolate (be mindful of portion, however!)

Oat bran

Amaranth, Quinoa, buckwheat, millet….

Soy: Tempeh, tofu, and soybeans

Seeds: Pumpkin, chia, sesame….

Dried fruit (raisins, prunes, etc)

As you can see, this list is pretty lengthy, and could be longer had I spent more time on it. If you

know what plant- based foods are rich in iron and make attempt to fit them in your daily meals, you’ll

be just fine. A vegetarian or vegan diet need not lack iron– there’s really so many sources you

can turn to– but when you aren’t educated on what the sources are, that’s when you have

trouble.

While I’ve certainly never been deficient in iron, I do keep close watch over my intake making sure I

properly get in enough iron- rich sources each day. The above being my favorites.

I end with a recent favorite smoothie of mine, abundant in iron and nutrition, that takes a mere 5

minutes to whip up if you have all the ingredients on hand. It’s likely that you since it’s all pretty

common everyday pantry items.

Iron Woman Green Monster~ Vegan, serves one.

(Rich in iron, essential fatty- acids, and other vitamins and minerals. Wonderful way to start your

day with a mere 60% RDA of iron! Now there’s certainly no excuse for the “I have to eat red meat

now” phrase…)

1 cup water or non- dairy milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

1 tsp spirulina

1-2 T Blackstrap molasses *

2 T chia seeds

1/2 frozen banana

2 big handfuls of spinach or kale (~2 cups)

Cinnamon and stevia, to taste.

Combine all ingredients in a high- speed blender till smooth. Add more liquid to reach desired

consistency, if necessary.

* Make sure you use blackstrap molasses which is higher in iron and calcium (yes, calcium, too!)

than the normal molasses. If that’s all you have on hand- it’ll work fine.

Bold in colors- bold in nutrition.

And if you add a bowl of cooked oat bran or amaranth cereal on the side, you’ll have a

seriously iron rich meal. I topped mine with a homemade trail mix bar, but adding popped

amaranth on top wouldn’t be such a bad idea…..

Five Healthy Snacks High in Iron

Iron is an essential nutrient that helps carry oxygen in the blood. Too little iron can cause iron-

deficiency anemia, a blood disorder that, when severe, can result in extreme fatigue, weakness, and

shortness of breath, as well as other serious symptoms.

The best way to ensure sufficient iron is through a balanced diet. Foods that are high in iron include

meat, poultry, fish, green leafy vegetables, dried beans, nuts, dried fruits, tofu, and fortified breads

and cereals.

Those who may need extra iron in their diets include children and adolescents, menstruating and

pregnant women, and, sometimes, those recovering from an illness or surgery. Also, vegans, who do

not eat iron-rich meats, should be sure to get sufficient iron from other sources such as beans, tofu,

and leafy green vegetables.

Snacks high in iron can be an important part of a balanced diet. As discussed below, five iron-rich,

tasty snacks are tofu bites, smoothies made with tofu, nuts, dried fruits, and bean dip.

Tofu Bites. Tofu bites can be served as appetizers, but also are tasty, low-calorie snacks. This recipe

makes six servings with about 50 calories per serving.

Cut one pound of extra-firm, reduced-fat, water-packed tofu into ½ inch cubes. Place the tofu

between layers of paper towels for five minutes to drain (pressing on it occasionally). Sauté the tofu

cubes until brown in 1 ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil and one teaspoon of dark sesame oil. When

brown, place the cubes in a bowl, drizzle two tablespoons of soy sauce and one tablespoon of rice

vinegar over them, and toss to coat. Chill, stirring occasionally, then eat and enjoy.

Smoothie. Another delicious and easy way to boost your iron with tofu is in a

smoothie. Mix ½ cup of orange juice, four to six strawberries (or ¼ to ½ cups of

frozen strawberries), ½ a banana, ¼ cup of silken tofu, one tablespoon of honey, and

six ice cubes in a blender and mix until smooth. Drink right away.

Nuts. Nuts, especially cashews, almonds, and sunflower seeds, make a nutritious snack with a

healthy dose of iron.

Dried Fruits. Dried fruits also are a healthy snack packed with iron. Try dried apricots, dates, prunes,

figs, or peaches, or a handful of raisins.

Bean Dip. Bean dip is a delicious snack with plenty of iron. A quick and easy bean dip can be made by

combining a 16-ounce can of refried beans, eight ounces of processed American cheese (cubed), ½

cup of medium salsa, and hot pepper sauce to taste in a saucepan. Cook and stir for about five

minutes or until well blended and hot. Eat with you favorite dippers-vegetables, crackers, or tortilla

chips.

High Iron Orange Creamsicle Green Smoothie

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 cup orange juice (I have used almond milk or water before, but the orange juice gives it

more of an orange flavor)

1/4 cup hempseeds (3 tbsps. has 11 g protein, and 16% DV of iron)

2 tbsp. blackstrap molasses (1 tbsp. has 20% DV iron)

3 tbsp pure maple syrup (to taste, use more or less depending on how sweet you want it)

6 oz. yogurt (I use soy vanilla or plain, you can use dairy yogurt)

Put all these into blender and begin blending to crush the cashews, until it is creamy and

smooth (this will be several minutes in a regular blender, less in the Vitamix that I wish I

had!)

Then ADD (with blender still running):

1 orange, peeled

1 banana, peeled

25-35 spinach leaves (depending on size of the leaves); you can also use kale or other

greens…should be about 2 cups greens in all.

Continue blending until the greens are well blended and the resulting smoothie is a nice

light green. Then add about 5-6 ice cubes and blend until they are mixed in. Then enjoy!

Blend until smooth in texture and uniform in color.

This recipe makes two large servings (adult size, so could be 1 adult, 2-3 kid servings) Each

adult serving contains: 54% DV iron, 19 grams protein and around 500 calories. It’s enough

to get me through the morning without needing anything else! Great way to start a day! And

the follow up blood test showed much improvement in his IRON levels. Doc said to ‘keep

doing what you’re doing’. So Kudos to Green Smoothies!!

Iron Woman Green Smoothie

1 cups water

11 oz coconut water

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup quinoa grains [I used dry grain, but next time I will try to sprout it first]

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

3/4 mango

2 cups honeydew melon

1 banana

4-5 leaves kale, destemmed

2 tbsp kelp

Blend in a high speed blender, starting with water and grains/seeds first, then adding

remaining ingredients.

Hubby and I split the smoothie, so both of us has already consumed around 40-45% of

iron needs for the day, although we realize that RDA values are normally on the lower

side of the spectrum, so we will double up on what is recommended.

Having drunk the smoothie you see in the image above–which was a feat, since it is full

of nutrients, fiber and protein–I am full of energy and ready to head out the door to

teach an intense, high impact total body conditioning class . Don’t you feel sorry for

my students already?! I know I do .