Iron for Health

Causes of Iron Deficiency    Not all Iron is the same.  
  An Iron Rich Diet.   Beef   for Iron. Iron Rich Foods
  Over seven million American women are iron deficient  Are you one of them? Check out this (pdf file)

Are you iron deficient?
Lack of iron is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, even in the western world where most of our dietry problems are from eating too much rather than eating too little. Women are particularly at. risk. The average iron intake of a woman in the U.S.A. is only 12.3 mg, well below the recommended daily allowance of 15 mg (the amount recommended for health).

How would you know?
If you are: tired, have reduced ability to exercise, have poor stamina, get frequent infections, or are lethargic, it may be that you could be iron deficent.

1. Not eating enough iron rich foods, for example, those on restrictive diets and vegetarians.  2. Increased demand for iron, for example to replace blood loss (eg from menstruation) or in times of growth (such as adolescence) or physical activity.

Iron is a mineral found in every cell of the body. It is vital for good health and for our mental and physical well being. It has three roles.

• To carry oxygen around the body. Every cell in the body needs oxygen. Think of your blood stream as a highway and iron (in the hemoglobin of red blood cells) as the vehicle that carries oxygen from your lungs to wherever it's needed. It's easy to see why iron is vital for life.

• Ensuring a healthy immune system.  The cells which fight infection and defend the body against foreign organisms depend on adequate stores of iron. So if your iron stores are low your body is prone to more frequent infections.

• Making Energy. Iron is essential in the chemical reactions that produce energy from food. So if your iron levels are low then you body may not be able to use all the energy available to it.

Not all Iron Is the Same

The are two different type of iron in food: haem iron, found in red meat seafood and poultry, and non-haem iron found in breads, fruits, breakfast cereals, vegetable, legumes (e.g. baked beans), nuts and eggs.

Haem iron foods are rich in iron and contain iron in the form that is easily absorbed by the body. Red meat also has a special effect on iron absorption. The meat when eaten together with the vegetables, can boost the absorption of non-haem iron by up to four times. Vitamin C also has a similar positive effect on the absorption of iron.

In other words, the key to an iron rich diet is to eat a combination of iron rich foods high in both  haem and non-haem iron.

Beef for Iron.

Iron Rich Foods

An Iron Rich Diet

Eat foods high in haem iron.
Eat foods high in non haem iron and combine them with haem iron foods to help absorption.
Eat food high in vitamin C at every meal as this helps increase overall absorption. For example:

• Breakfast:  Most breakfast cereals, wholemeal breads and legumes contain iron. Unfortunately this is non haem iron so it's not easily absorbed by the body. To increase absorption increase a rich source of Vitamin C. (eg, a glass of orange juice or fruit on the cereal.)
  Iron Source: Wheat Cereal. Absorption Booster: Orange juice.

• Lunch: Eat a combination of red meat and vegetables. Lean red meat is a particularly rich source of iron, and red meat will also help your  body absorb the non-haem iron found in the vegetables.  Vitamin C in an orange or tomato helps further still. Iron Source: Sliced lean beef. Absorption Booster: Tomato, orange, lean beef.

• Dinner: Combine a rich source of non-haem iron  (see the table on pages 6 - 7  , by clicking  the pdf file.)  For instance a stir fry with lean red meat and vegetables makes an excellent (and delicious) iron rich meal.  Iron Source: Lean Meat, brown rice. Absorption Booster: Capsicum, broccoli, rockmelon and lean beef.