thanks for the input everyone.
Fred -- thanks for the link regarding cooking with cast iron.
Lucia -- thank-you so much for sharing your experiences -- i read the previous posts with interest regarding your battle with anemia. very glad to hear it is under control.
Paul -- thank-you for being the voice of reason from the other side of the fence. i am now wary of getting too much iron as well as too little.
here is some helpful info i found regarding getting iron from vegetarian sources.
What affects iron absorption?Iron absorption refers to the amount of dietary iron that the body obtains and uses from food. Healthy adults absorb about 10% to 15% of dietary iron, but individual absorption is influenced by several factors [
1,
3,
8,
11-15].
Storage levels of iron have the greatest influence on iron absorption. Iron absorption increases when body stores are low. When iron stores are high, absorption decreases to help protect against toxic effects of iron overload [
1,
3]. Iron absorption is also influenced by the type of dietary iron consumed. Absorption of heme iron from meat proteins is efficient. Absorption of heme iron ranges from 15% to 35%, and is not significantly affected by diet [
15]. In contrast, 2% to 20% of nonheme iron in plant foods such as rice, maize, black beans, soybeans and wheat is absorbed [
16]. Nonheme iron absorption is significantly influenced by various food components [
1,
3,
11-15].
Meat proteins and vitamin C will improve the absorption of nonheme iron [
1,
17-18]. Tannins (found in tea), calcium, polyphenols, and phytates (found in legumes and whole grains) can decrease absorption of nonheme iron [
1,
19-24]. Some proteins found in soybeans also inhibit nonheme iron absorption [
1,
25]. It is most important to include foods that enhance nonheme iron absorption when daily iron intake is less than recommended, when iron losses are high (which may occur with heavy menstrual losses), when iron requirements are high (as in pregnancy), and when only vegetarian nonheme sources of iron are consumed.
....excerpt from:
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp
note: from the above, don't take your calcium supplements at the same time as your iron.
Iron Absorption
Up to 22% of the iron in meat is absorbed, while only 1-8% is absorbed from eggs and plant foods. If the body stores fall, the rate of iron absorption rises. About 40% of the iron in animal foods is in a form called haem iron, while the remainder, and all the iron in plant foods, is in the less well absorbed non-haem form. Iron absorption can also be reduced by tannins (e.g. in tea) and phytates (found in nuts, grain and seeds). At this point one tends to wonder whether the rumours of vegans suffering from anaemia have substance, however, this isn't the whole story and the reader will be heartened to learn that research has shown that iron deficiency in vegans is no more common than in the rest of the population.
The absorption of iron from plant foods is improved by the presence in a meal of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), other organic acids such as malic acid (e.g. in pumpkins, plums and apples) and citric acid (in citrus fruits). Laboratory research in which experimental meals were given to 299 volunteers has shown that the inclusion of foods (such as fresh salad, orange juice or cauliflower) providing 70-105mg of vitamin C in each meal increased the absorption of iron. A particularly pronounced effect was seen when 4.5oz cauliflower containing 60mg of vitamin C was added to vegetarian meals, causing more than three-fold increase in iron absorption.
[1]
Earlier studies have shown that, when iron intake from plant foods is relatively high (14-26mg/day), even large amounts of phytate do not adversely affect iron balance.
[2]
There has been some concern that fibre in food can also inhibit the absorption of iron. However a study has shown that the iron balance was more favourable when fibre intake was 59g a day, than on a low-fibre regime of only 9g.
.....excerpt from:
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nutrition/iron.php
...looks like i will be adding cauliflower to my diet.
cheers,
sean
vancouver, canada
ps. clams are also absurdely high in iron content (comparable to beef) thus i am considering occasionally adding them to my diet