1. Importance of Iron
Your body needs iron since the mineral makes hemoglobin, and hemoglobin carries oxygen in your blood cells from the lungs to your organs. The cells that fight off infection, primarily white blood cells, also need iron. If you don't have enough iron, your body can't produce enough white blood cells. Iron also helps break down food and produce energy. If you're iron deficient, you're not getting enough energy from your food.
2. Two Kinds of Iron
Iron comes in two forms, heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron comes from animals and is found in red meat, poultry, sardines and mussels. Nonheme iron comes from cereals, vegetables, legumes and nuts. The body easily absorbs heme iron, while nonheme iron often needs helpers to be absorbed so that it doesn't flush out of the body.
3. Anemia and Iron Deficiencies
The daily recommendation of iron is 11 to 18 mg depending on your age and sex. It seems easy to get that much, but most people in western societies are iron deficient, and iron deficiencies can lead to anemia. You're at a high risk for anemia during pregnancy if you produce a heavy menstrual cycle, incur any heavy blood loss or if you simply don't ingest enough iron. Anemia tends to be more common in women, infants, children and vegetarians. Signs of anemia include lethargy, fatigue, lack of stamina, pale skin and a weakened immune system. Other signs of anemia include headaches, cold hands and feet, brittle fingernails, poor appetite and cravings for dust, ice and dirt.
4. Increasing Iron Is Easy
Increase your iron by adding red meat, poultry and vegetables to your diet. Take iron supplements, which are available from the pharmacy section of your grocery store, drug stores, health food stores and vitamin shops. If you're extremely anemic, your doctor may prescribe an iron supplement.
5. Helpers With Iron Absorption
You need to do more than simply increase your iron intake if you want to fight an iron deficiency. You also may need to add helpers, such as Vitamins C and A, to your diet to facilitate iron absorption. For example, if you eat an iron-rich cereal, eat a piece of fruit high in vitamin C. Eating red meat with non-heme iron sources, such as vegetables, also helps you to absorb iron. Just as there are foods that help with iron absorption, there are foods that hinder it. Tannins, such as calcium, polyphenols and phytates or many of the ingredients in teas, hinder iron absorption. Avoid eating iron-rich foods or taking your iron supplements with a glass of milk or tea.
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