Iron, like all minerals, is an inorganic substance found in the earth. Plants absorb iron from water and soil. When you eat plant-based foods, you get iron the iron directly from the plant. Animal foods, such as meat, eggs and dairy, also provide iron. Eating animal foods provides iron as an indirect source because animals also absorb iron by consuming plant foods. Some types of iron are more readily available an easier for your body to absorb than others.
Heme vs. Nonheme
Both heme and nonheme iron come from foods in your diet. Heme iron is in animal foods, while nonheme iron is derived directly from plant sources. Hemoglobin, a protein in your blood, works with the help of heme iron to transport oxygen to cells, tissues and organs. Nonheme iron is also used to fortify foods and in dietary supplements. While nonheme iron is the primary source of iron in your diet, your body only absorbs 2 to 20 percent, says the Office of Dietary Supplements. In contrast, you get less heme iron from food sources in your diet, but it is more readily available and easier to absorb. Your body absorbs between 15 and 35 percent of the heme iron you consume.
Heme Food Sources
Women need 18 mg of total iron daily, while men require 8 mg. Adding different types of meat to your diet can increase the amount of heme iron you consume. Just six oysters provides 4.5 mg of heme iron. A 3 oz. serving of beef chuck contains 3.2 mg, chicken breast has 1.1 mg and halibut provides 0.9 mg per 3 oz. serving.
Nonheme Food Sources
Fortified breakfast cereal has approximately 18 mg of nonheme iron for each 3/4 cup serving. Other sources of nonheme iron include 1 cup of lentils, which contains 6.6 mg, 1/2 cup of black beans provides 1.8 mg, 1/2 cup of firm tofu has 3.4 mg and 1/2 cup of cooked spinach contains 3.2 mg of nonheme iron.
Deficiency
Iron deficiency is the most common type of nutrient deficiency in the United States, reports the Linus Pauling Institute. Anemia is a severe case of iron deficiency resulting in inadequate amounts of iron in the body to support red blood cell formation. You may feel fatigued, lose your appetite or have pale skin. Your doctor can draw blood to determine your iron level if you are at risk for deficiency.
Dietary Supplements
In some cases, your doctor may suggest taking an iron supplement. This form of iron comes in ferrous and ferric, with ferrous iron being more easily absorbed by your body. The label on your iron supplement will list the amount of elemental iron, which is the amount of iron in the supplement that is available for absorption. Your body can only absorb a certain amount of iron at once, so iron absorption decreases as your dosage increases. To get maximum iron absorption, space out your supplements into two or three doses throughout the day.
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