Low ferritin, high ferritin vegans comments would be especially welcome.

[thyr01d]

Several of us on here cannot raise our ferritin levels even on prescribed iron and an iron rich diet with vitamin C. I just came across a note to myself that low ferritin can occur when the diet is very low in protein and that seems to fit with being vegan, for me at least. Any ideas for high protein vegan foods? I don't eat any sugar other than naturally occurring in fruit, am gluten free so apart from rice and millet eat hardly any grains and rarely eat anything like processed vegan cheese/burgers. I do eat chick pea pasta, green pea penne and about 20 nuts a day but maybe that isn't enough protein?

[Sparklingsunshine]

Hi

I'm not a vegan but strict vegetarian, there are lots of good quality vegan protein powders these days, based on pea, hemp powders, you can mix them with vegan milks and they can pack 20g of protein per scoop. There are also soy powders but these aren't recommended for us hypos.

[thyr01d in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Thanks SparklingSunshine for your reply.

[Rosepetal60]

I had very high ferritin of 650+ but over the years have managed to get it down to high ferritin (430+) by avoiding dark green vegetables. Recently I read it is important to avoid oranges and orange juice as this aids the iron to get into one’s system, so I’ve been avoiding oranges for about 6 months now. And I’ve also read recently that if I want to stop iron getting into my system, it’s best to drink Coffee up to 2 hours before a meal or up to 2 hours after a meal. This and the orange topic has been a revelation to me. I stopped drinking Coffee years ago because I was told it was bad for people with Osteoporosis which I have. But this has now turned out to be wrong information . So from this info. It seems possible that people with low ferritin would benefit by eating Oranges 🍊 dark green veg and Avoiding Coffee. I’ve also given up cocoa as that’s got plenty of iron in it and I try and avoid 70% dark chocolate. Think raisins are also high in Iron another favourite of mine. I eat little meat. Hope this has helped.

[thyr01d in reply to Rosepetal60]

Thanks Rosepetal, I 'fail' with the coffee because I drink it for breakfast and sometimes between or after meals, however, I went for a long time, maybe 12 months maybe longer, without coffee with no apparent health improvement. Last summer I tried to give it up again but couldn't. I think it's because vegans are supposed to graze all day but I restrict myself to 2 or 3 meals and a little healthy nibbling some evenings (otherwise I don't sleep properly). I use the coffee to ease hunger and tiredness.

[Hidden]

Have you looked into The Daily Dozen? Dr Gregor asserts that by eating the 'daily dozen' you will take in all the macro and micro nutrients you need. I tried to do it but it's much more food that I can tolerate at the moment so I can't talk to personal experience!

Simple Happy Kitchen was another great resource for me. I also read 'Vegan Savvy' which was really helpful.

Cooking is NOT my forte! I'm am not one of those people that 'throws together' great food. So I found trying to really bulk up my nutrition knowledge helps me make practical food choices.

[thyr01d in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Witchhour, I've just had a look at The Daily Dozen. It's such a lot of dense food isn't it! I already think I eat too much. The only thing I'm obviously missing are herbs (though I have rosemary, thyme, parsley and that sort of thing) and seeds but I tried seeds on the advice of an NHS dietitian and put on weight without changing the ferritin. I'll try harder with herbs.

[Bellaowl]

I was told to eat dried organic apricots-4/day to raise iron levels. I also take Vit B6- pyrodoxine.

Bella

[thyr01d in reply to Bellaowl]

Hi Bellaowl, thanks for your comment. dried apricots contain an acid that prevents the body from taking up iron and I have to be careful with vitamin C which counters the acid. Who gave you that advice, was it someone well qualified? I was really hoping for protein suggestions.

[Bellaowl]

It was a dietician. I have multiple allergies and IBS. I use a lot of fruit so Vit C high.

I use pea protein powder when cooking in the slow cooker, but u can’t use too much or it ruins the taste. Other times I open a tin of chick peas and take off the skins and eat them straight from the tin. They are really nice and by removing the skins my gut is happier.

Have u tried whipping the liquid from the chickpeas to cook? I’ve not been very successful with it but there are recipes around.

Bella.

[Bellaowl in reply to Bellaowl]

Getting enough protein to repair leg muscles with CFS is not easy, so after discussion with my dietician I now eat organic eggs and cottage cheese.

I also have diabetes so it became a crunch time of what I could eat if out that didn’t contain sugar to which I react.

U have to work out what will keep u healthy to maintain your body.

Bella.

[thyr01d in reply to Bellaowl]

Hi Bella, thanks for all the info, I too eat a lot of fruit so might try the apricots you first suggested. It must be very difficult for you having diabetes as well. Got to go, grandson desperate to see some whirlpools on the laptop!

[Bellaowl in reply to thyr01d]

I don’t know how to get a private email to you so hoping this will copy. It’s from the American Red Cross who sent me info via a friend this afternoon.

“”Tip of the Month

Plant an Iron Rich Garden This Spring

It’s the season for planting gardens, so here’s some food for thought: Plant iron-richfoods like spinach, sweet potatoes, string beans or strawberries to help you iron-up for a great blood donation””

It suggests some fruits you wouldn’t think of as iron rich eg strawberry and watermelon, which was in a picture that wouldn’t copy.

Bella

[Bellaowl]

More from USA Red Cross. They are very good on iron info.

The picture lists:

“Strawberries, Chard, Green pepper, kale, potatoes, spinach, broccoli, string beans, collards, watermelon, peas, sweet potato. “

I don’t know what collard is.

But it may give you some other things to try you hadn’t thought of.

I remember the dietician told me new potatoes have Vit C just under the skin so should be cooked in the skin. Not peeled or scrapped. That way u get Vit C and iron together.

Hope your grandson enjoyed his whirl pool pictures.

Bella

[thyr01d in reply to Bellaowl]

Thanks Bella very much, that's really kind of you to send all that information. I love most of those foods and now have a reason to eat more of them, especially chard. Think my problem is that I'm starting from a low point with the ferritin and even two years of prescribed ferrous fumarate didn't bring it up to a good enough level to convert T4 to T3. I had hoped there might be another vegan the same who had found a way to raise their level but it looks as if no-one has done.

[Bellaowl in reply to thyr01d]

I think it’s a difficult ask. It took me about 3 yrs to improve, but only began to see real improvements after adding eggs. I salve my conscience by only buying organic free range- but free range is not allowed at present because of avian flu.

Bella

[Hedgeree]

Hi thyr01d,

I did type a reply when I first saw your post but it disappeared/got deleted by me somehow!? Lost heart then so sorry for this very delayed reply.

I eat a lot of chickpeas! I do use other pulses and like lentils any type so these are high protein sources. I have to restrict myself with the chickpeas as I could eat them morning noon and night! ☺

I also use chickpea flour (gram flour) to make little vegan quiches. They are very filling and handy for a quick snack.

Just started using pea protein powder again.

Quinoa is good and if I remember correctly is also a complete protein and is gluten free. I sometimes use this instead of rice.

Nuts and nut butters are good protein sources. I avoid the ones with sugar or added oils and just buy the 100% nut ones. I love cashews and brazil nuts. I use cashews in stir frys.

Currently eating more pumpkin seeds to hopefully increase my ferritin levels (have yet to test myself but seem to be losing less hair so hoping what I'm doing is working!) These and other seeds such as chia are good protein sources.

I was doing a lot of baking but have cut back on this now but hope to start again. I had made a sour dough starter using buckwheat flour. (Sadly lost this due to moving it was over 5 years old!) This is high protein too and I think if I've remembered correctly is also a seed and is gluten free.

I haven't done it yet but looking at recipes/constructing one that includes pumpkin seeds and other seeds, dark chocolate and possibly a nut butter and something with vitamin C to make a kind of protein bar. This is still in the development stage! If it's successful/edible! I'll let you know!

Best wishes.

[thyr01d in reply to Hedgeree]

Many thanks Hedgeree, I make something out of raw cacao butter, cacao powder and ground nuts though I've never added vitamin C, it's on the way to your protein bar, very expensive though and I make them into balls and have them as a treat. Your buckwheat flour idea is a good one, that's something I rarely use, though I love quinoa. Thanks for all your thoughts and suggestions and good luck with the protein bar.

[Hedgeree in reply to thyr01d]

Cacao is not something I use often. As you say it is quite expensive! Though maybe I'll have a try with it.Yes of course I could make them into balls it doesn't have to be a bar, thanks for giving me the idea. For some reason I'd got stuck on bars 😊

Best wishes.