Plant-based foods like white beans, lentils, tofu, spinach and pumpkin seeds can provide meaningful amounts of iron. But the iron isn’t absorbed as easily as iron from meat. 

In a recent Martha Stewart article, Dr. Daniela Novotny explained that pairing these foods with vitamin C-rich sources like tomatoes and bell peppers helps the body absorb more iron. She also noted that combining several plant-based foods in one meal (soups, stir fries, pasta with chickpeas) makes it easier to meet daily iron needs. 

Novotny is also a senior instructor of nutrition and dietetics in the School of Health Sciences at Missouri State University.