Iron

Description

Iron is a mineral that is essential to the health and functioning of the body. It is involved in various bodily functions including the transport and storage of oxygen, energy production and DNA synthesis. It is found in haemoglobin (present in red blood cells) and myoglobin (present in muscles).

Sources

The body is unable to produce iron. This is why it is so important to get it through the foods we eat. The richest source of iron is liver, but it is also found in oysters, seafood, kidneys, heart, red meat, poultry, fish, seeds and nuts, green vegetables, whole wheat, legumes, prune juice and dried fruit.

Spinach is not a good source of iron! This myth was propagated due to an error in a report which stated that spinach had 10 times more iron than it actually does…

Vegetarians are at a greater risk of developing iron deficiency since their diets exclude certain iron-rich foods. Additionally, iron from vegetable sources and eggs are not absorbed as well as iron from animal sources. To improve the absorption of vegetable iron, it is recommended that a source of vitamin C (about 75 mg) be added to each meal. Drinking tea with meals is not recommended as it reduces iron absorption. Coffee does not have quite the same effect.

Below is a chart that will help you select foods that are high in iron.

Approximate Iron Content
 Food  Portion  Content
 ALL Bran cereal 125 mL 6.2 mg
 Almonds 30 mL 1.0 mg
 Beef liver 90 g 5.8 mg
 Beef 90 g 2-4 mg
 Black beans 125 mL 1.8-2.5 mg
 Black molasses 15 mL 3.2 mg
 Boiled shrimp 90 g 2.6 mg
 Brewer’s yeast 15 mL 1.4 mg
 Calf liver 90 g 5.4 mg
 Chicken liver 90 g 7.2 mg
 Chicken, white meat 90 g 0.9 mg
 Chickpeas 125 mL 2.4 mg
 Clams 90 g 4-7 mg
 Cooked artichokes 250 mL 5.1 mg
 Cooked fish 90 g 0.5-1 mg
 Cooked oats 250 mL 1.6 mg
 Cooked rice 250 mL 2.3 mg
 Dried apricots 16 2.6-4.2 mg
 Dried peaches 5 halves 2.6 mg
 Egg 1 0.7-1.2 mg
 Fortified Pop-tart 1 2.2 mg
 Fortified baby cereal 90 mL 5.0 mg
 Fortified cream of wheat 125 mL 7 mg
 Fortified spaghetti 250 mL 2.0 mg
 Fresh green pepper 1/2 0.3 mg
 Fresh raspberries 125 mL 0.4 mg
 Frozen green beans 250 mL 1.1 mg
 Frozen peas 250 mL 2.5 mg
 Frozen strawberries 250 mL 1.2 mg
 Green molasses 15 mL 5.0 mg
 Food  Portion  Content
 Ham 90 g 0.6-0.8 mg
 Heart 90 g 4-7 mg
 Kidneys 90 g 7 mg
 Lamb liver 90 g 9.0 mg
 Lentils 125 mL 3.3 mg
 Lima beans 125 mL 2.1 mg
 Liver pate 60 mL 2-4 mg
 Milk 2% 250 mL 0.1 mg
 Mussels 90 g 4.0 mg
 Pistachios 30 g 1.9 mg
 Plain soy milk 250 mL 3.6 mg
 Pork liver 90 g 15.3 mg
 Potato with peel 1 2.7 mg
 Prune, juice 250 mL 3.0 mg
 Raisins 125 mL 1.5 mg
 Raw broccoli 125 mL 2.1 mg
 Raw oysters 90 g 5.5 mg
 Raw tofu 125 mL 4.0 mg
 Sardines 70 g 2.0 mg
 Scallops 90 g 2-4 mg
 Spinach 125 mL 3.2 mg
 Sunflower seeds 15 mL 1.9 mg
 Tomato 1 0.5 mg
 Tuna 90 g 0.6 mg
 Turkey 90 g 2.0 mg
 Veal 90 g 2-4 mg
 Weetabix cereal 100 g 11.9 mg
 Wheat germ 15 mL 0.4 mg
 White bread 1 slice 0.7 mg
 Whole cheese 250 mL 0.3 mg
 Whole wheat bread 1 slice 0.9 mg

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)

Recommended average daily nutrient intake that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97 to 98%) healthy individuals in each age and gender group. The RDA should only be used as a guide for daily individual intake.

Iron Requirement
 Age  Men   Women 
 1-3 years 7 mg 7 mg
 4-8 years 10 mg 10 mg
 9-13 years 8 mg 8 mg
 14-18 years 11 mg 15 mg
 Age  Men   Women 
 19-50 years 8 mg 18 mg
 > 50 years 8 mg 8 mg
 Pregnancy   + 9 mg
 Breastfeeding   – 9 mg *

* Until menstruations resume.

Deficiency

Iron deficiency anemia is caused by an insufficient iron intake. The most common symptoms associated with anemia are fatigue, pallor, lack of energy and headache.

Deficiency may be caused when dietary intake or absorption of iron is insufficient, when the body needs more iron or when the body experiences a significant drop in iron through heavy menstrual periods, for example. If such is the case, an iron supplement can be prescribed by a physician and medical monitoring is recommended. Increasing one’s dietary intake of iron is also important.

Toxicity

Although rare, excess iron can lead to diarrhea, gastric pain, fever and nausea.

Supplements

Since the foods we eat usually provide the body with enough iron stores, supplements are not necessary unless diagnosed with anemia.

When used to treat anemia, iron supplements can cause gastric irritation and constipation. They can also discolour stool and urine, making them brown or black. Liquid supplements can also stain teeth.

Absorption is optimal when the product is taken on an empty stomach. Taking it with food however, increases tolerance. The absorption of inorganic and vegetable iron is better when taken with vitamin C. A dose of 200 mg for 30 mg of elemental iron is recommended.

Iron supplements must be stored in a safe place. Iron poisoning is one of the leading causes of accidental death in children.

Watch what you eat. Diet has a significant impact on health!