You get iron from fortified foods such as cereal, grits and bread, but also naturally from both plant and animal food sources. Plant foods such as legumes, cashews, raisins, prunes, potatoes, walnuts and green beans provide nonheme iron. Nonheme iron is not attached to heme proteins, and has a lower level of absorption than iron in animal sources. The most potent sources of iron are animal sources, such as oysters, organ meats, beef, poultry and fish, which contain heme iron. Heme iron is iron that is attached to proteins, and has a higher level of absorption.
Iron Absorption
The amount of iron you absorb from food depends on several factors, including how much iron your body is currently storing. Your body works to protect you from iron toxicity by absorbing less iron when your stores are normal and more when you have a deficiency, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, the average absorption of heme iron ranges from 15 to 35 percent. The nonheme iron absorption rate ranges from 2 to 20 percent; adequate absorption of nonheme iron depends on your combining the right foods.
Combinations
An easy fix for improving the absorption of nonheme iron is to combine plant sources of iron with animal sources, explains the Colorado University Extension. Your total iron intake will be higher, as will your absorption of nonheme iron. However, for vegetarians, combining nonheme iron sources with foods that are rich in vitamin C provides a healthful, plant-based alternative for improving iron absorption. Options include citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, melons and strawberries, as well as potatoes and dark green, leafy vegetables.
How Much?
The general recommendation for iron intake depends on your age and gender. While adult men need 8 mg daily, women need 18 mg a day until around age 50 and 27 mg a day during pregnancy. After age 50, or postmenopause, the recommended iron intake for women decreases to 8 mg daily. Signs of an iron deficiency include paleness, irritability, fatigue, accelerated heart rate, a swollen tongue and an enlarged spleen, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Considerations
Iron helps deliver oxygen throughout your body and aids with temperature regulation, metabolism and healthy cognitive development. Preparing foods in an iron skillet can increase your overall iron intake. Add a minimal amount of water during cooking and avoid overcooking food to help preserve the natural iron content during food preparation, advises the Ohio State University Extension. Soybean protein and tannins found in tea may inhibit iron absorption. Seek your doctor's advice if you suspect an iron deficiency in your diet.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Iron-Deficiency Anemia
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Iron
- Colorado University Extension: Iron: An Essential Nutrient
- Ohio State University Extension: Iron
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Iron and Iron Deficiency
- Vegetarian Society: Iron
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