Eat Iron and Vitamin C together for Maximum Vitamin Absorption

With less than a week to go until my hip replacement surgery, I am told to be off of all vitamins and supplements; and so now, more than ever, I am striving to eat lots of vegetables and fruits that will bring me valuable nutrients to keep me strong going into the surgery and throughout my recovery.

I am slightly anemic and my surgeon, Dr. Andrew Yun, tells me that iron is a key nutrient necessary for optimum hip recovery. Therefore I’m seeking to eat lots of iron-rich foods. According to WebMD specialist Kathleen M. Zelman, eating foods high in vitamin c along with the iron-rich foods will help the body better absorb the iron.

Some of my recipes that bring iron rich foods and vitamin c rich foods together in a delicious and beneficial combination include:  Oatmeal with raisins and strawberries,  Scrambled Eggs with onion, tomato and spinach (see Weekend Scramble), Spinach Salad with orange, toasted almond slivers and goat cheese (see The Four Ingredient Salad), The Best Vegetarian Chili, Stuffed Delicata Squash,  Vegetarian Delight, White Bean and Tomato Soup and Chicken Cutlets a l’Orange.

Iron-rich foods:

• Red meat
• Egg yolks
• Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)
• Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)
• Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels)
• Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)
• Turkey or chicken giblets
• Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
• Liver
• Artichokes

Fruits with the highest sources of vitamin C include:

• Cantaloupe
• Citrus fruits and juices, such as orange and grapefruit
• Kiwi fruit
• Mango
• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries
• Watermelon

Vegetables with the highest sources of vitamin C include:

• Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
• Green and red peppers
• Spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, and other leafy greens
• Sweet and white potatoes
• Tomatoes and tomato juice
• Winter squash

To give you an idea of the amount of vitamin C in the top 10 foods rich in Vitamin C, see the information and below which I found online at http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vitamin-C.php#tjki2AcaW8YjwpLq.99

“Vitamin C is an essential nutrient required by the body for the development and maintenance of scar tissue, blood vessels, and cartilage.

Vitamin C is also necessary for creating ATP, dopamine, peptide hormones, and tyrosine. As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C helps lessen oxidative stress to the body and is thought to lower cancer risk. The current DV for vitamin C is 60mg. Below is a list high vitamin C foods: