It’s Friday so I’m back with another installment of Food Fact Friday!

Dark, leafy greens will supply you with a wide variety of nutrients!  But did you know that could include iron??!!

That’s right, I said iron!  If you are anything like me, when you think of iron you think of a big, juicy grass-fed steak!!  Truth be told, I would eat a medium-rare rib-eye most days of the week!!

Red meat is one of the highest sources of iron but let’s face it, including veggies is important to achieving a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet.

You can up your iron intake from plant sources by combining it with a food rich in vitamin C.  Vitamin C will convert the plant-based iron into the form that is usable by the body, heme iron. Heme iron can them be to produce hemoglobin, which in turn transfers oxygen throughout the body.  The average 150-pound person has approximately 4 grams of iron within, 60% to 70% of which is contained in hemoglobin.

Here is a simple way to sauté your green and increase your iron.

Sautéed Greens with Lemon

1 large bunch kale, Swiss chard, or beet greens

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

2 gloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

Juice from half a lemon

Heat pan over medium-low.  Once warm, add oil and butter and melt.  Add garlic and shallot, heat until fragrant(be sure not to burn them).

Once garlic and shallot is fragrant, turn heat up to medium, add greens and a 1 tsp. water, cover.  Sauté until greens have wilted.  Add lemon juice and mix well.

This lovely side dish comes together in not time flat!  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Another easy idea for improving absorption of iron from plants is to make your salad dressing with fresh lemon juice.  Simply replace some or all of the vinegar in your recipe with the lemon.

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