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Iron is a constituent of the body's red blood cells (hemoglobin). Its function is to carry oxygen throughout the body. Hemoglobin level varies from day-to-day and is affected by the amount of fluid consumed, kinds of food eaten, shifts in body fluid, physical activity, temperature and humidity. If depletion of iron reserves occurs, the body cannot make hemoglobin, and the result is anemia.
Recommended Daily Requirements (RDA) for men is 10 mgs. The RDA for women is 18 mgs.
Our most common nutritional deficiency, vitamin or mineral, is iron. 75% of women ages 18 to 44 get only about half of their RDA of iron.
- Food intake is less, with less red meat consumption.
Blood Loss
- Menstruation, especially if the flow is heavy or prolonged;
- Extensive oral surgery;
- Peptic ulcers, colitis, diverticular disease, hemorrhoids.
Medications
- Aspirin - regular use can irritate the stomach lining;
- Antacids, especially in large amounts, block iron absorption.
- The tannic acid in tea can reduce iron absorption by half;
- Food additives such as phosphate found in baked goods, candy, beer, soft drinks, and ice cream reduce iron absorption;
- EDTA, a food preservative found on almost every food label, reduces iron absorption;
- Processed foods, such as breads and cereals, contain the wrong type of iron and are poorly absorbed by our bodies.
There are two kinds of iron in foods: heme iron, found in meats and readily absorbed, and nonheme iron, found in green vegetables, nuts, dry beans, raisins and other fruits.
This nonheme iron needs a boost to be absorbed, and that boost is either a heme source (meat, poultry or fish) or Vitamin C. One or the other should be included with every meal. The addition of 60 mgs of Vitamin C (such as a half a cup of orange juice) can triple iron absorption from the rest of the meal.
(75 mgs or more per serving)
- Cantaloupe - 1/2 melon
- Orange juice - 1 cup
- Peppers, diced - 1/2 cup
- Strawberries - 1 cup
- Grapefruit juice - 1 cup
(25-75 mgs per serving)
- Cabbage - 1/2 cup
- Tomato - large
- Tomato juice - 1 cup
- Sweet potato - 1
- Baked potato -1
- Baked broccoli, chopped, cooked - 1/2 cup
- Cauliflower, cooked - 1/2 cup
- Spinach, cooked - 1/2 cup
Over-absorption of iron from food is not a common event. The amount absorbed depends on what is already stored in the body. If reserves are low, the body will absorb more: if reserves are adequate, the body will absorb less.
If one chooses to take an iron supplement, be sure the label reads "ferrous iron." Any iron pills are not as effective as iron existing in food; for instance, two tablets of ferrous gluconate contain 70 mgs of iron, of which only 25 mgs will be absorbed by the body. |
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