There's big talk about iron and making sure you get enough when it comes to nutrition. I'm sure that's one of the comments vegetarians get from their concerned parents, "If you don't eat red meat, you'll become iron-deficient!"

Iron is an important mineral the body needs to make hemoglobin which helps carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Believe it or not, iron is found in many other foods besides hamburgers and steak. Chicken, turkey and seafood such as oysters, tuna and salmon contain iron. There are also many vegetarian sources such as beans (kidney, lima, soy, pinto and black), green leafy veggies (spinach and kale, broccoli), asparagus, parsley, brussel sprouts, molasses, nuts, egg yolks, fortified cereal, enriched pasta, potatoes with the skin and dried fruits (raisins, dates and apricots).

Do you know how much iron you're supposed to get each day? To find out just read more

An adult woman should get 18 mg of iron a day. Here is a good list of some food sources that contain iron so you can get your RDI:

How do you know if you are iron deficient (anemic)? Symptoms may include feeling unusually tired, pale skin, shortness of breath during exercise, cold hands and feet, brittle nails, hair falling out and headaches. A simple blood test will let you know if you need more iron in your diet.

If you are anemic, try to eat more foods with iron. You can take iron supplements, but they may cause an upset stomach, heartburn, or constipation. It's rare, but you can also get too much iron. Extra amounts of iron in the body eventually build up to dangerous levels and can cause severe damage to organs trying to store the extra iron. So be careful not to exceed your daily amount too often.

Fit's Tips: If you eat beets and it turns your pee red, it could be a sign that you are iron deficient. If this happens to you, get your iron checked by your doctor.

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