Eat · Brain health technique
Iron-rich foods
Evidence grade: Context Dependent
Iron from foods such as animal sources (red meat, liver, shellfish) and plant sources (spinach, lentils, tofu).
- Practice
- Eat
- Principle
- Nourishment
- Tactic
- Brain Healthy Foods
- Evidence grade
- Context Dependent
How to practice Iron-rich foods
Know your iron levels by getting ferritin tested annually. If you're low, consider iron-rich foods like red meat, liver, shellfish, spinach, lentils, and tofu.
The evidence behind Iron-rich foods
Iron powers the brain's energy production, helps build the myelin sheath around nerves, and is needed to make dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. The brain uses about 20% of the body's oxygen, so iron-based oxygen delivery matters a lot. Even mild deficiency (without full anemia) can impair attention and mood. Correcting low iron improves memory and focus, but excess iron causes oxidative damage.
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