Cite this page: Nugent, Pam M.S., DENDROPHILIA, in PsychologyDictionary.org, April 7, 2013, https://psychologydictionary.org/dendrophilia/ (accessed January 6, 2018). share Facebook
The American Red Cross recommends eligible blood donors eat a well-balanced diet with extra iron-rich foods prior to their donation this fall. During the fall, iron-rich produce such as broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, spinach, apricots and chard are in season and therefore more abundant. Food can have two types of iron, heme and nonheme. The body can absorb up to 30 percent of heme iron, primarily found in meat, but only 2 to 10 percent of nonheme iron.
Eat spinach with tomatoes to allow better iron absorption. Iron is an essential mineral needed by every cell in your body. Most of your iron supply is found in your red blood cells, which carry and store oxygen. You can get iron from a variety of foods, including meats, vegetables, spices and beans. Iron from animal sources is called heme iron, and is more easily absorbed than plant-based iron, which is called non-heme. Some of the best heme iron sources include uncommon foods such as chicken liver and oysters. Non-heme, however, is readily available in everyday foods you probably already have in your refrigerator or pantry.