Does anyone get 100% of their iron intake from food alone?

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  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Unless you have a TESTED iron deficiency you should not supplement in any way - the results of too much iron, hemochromatosis, etc. can be much worse than a light deficiency. Hypothalamic damage by too much iron is generally irreversible.

    Before taking supplements or increasing vitamin C intake significantly, get tested.
  • ElliInJapan
    ElliInJapan Posts: 286 Member
    Shreddies cereal has 50% of your daily in it and Alphabet cereal has 30%. I use them a LOT cause i can put them in baggies and take them in the car to munch on...or work or wherever.
    They are not naturally high in iron they are supplemented, so it's the same as taking a pill. When my son was anaemic the pediatrician told us to give him cereals as they are fortified but I think that's terrible, kids cereals are full of sugar. There must be a natural way otherwise the whole population must be slightly iron deficient?
    Any foods fortified with iron is plant based and called nonheme which the body doesn't absorb as well as heme iron which is from animal based foods.........liver is a good source as is oysters and any meat product.

    Re non heme iron - Vitamin C helps increase the absorption by a significant amount (up to 85%).

    Do you happen to have a source handy? I remember reading somewhere that non-heme iron absorption is around 2-3% and with vitamin C it gets up to 10-15%. A significant increase (3-5 times up!) but still the overall absorption is very low. Unfortunately I can't find that article now (so I hope I don't remember the numbers wrong). But this one seems to say something similar

    http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAQ804.pdf

    Personally I have low iron levels (not to the point of anaemia but close) and was advised by my doctor to try to fix that with nutrition. I now aim at 120% of iron daily and usually manage to do it. I get 40% from my cereals, another 40% from iron-enhanced bars, and the rest is easier to meet with my everyday food.

    Seafood and especially clams are a fantastic source. Spices also contribute significantly (1tsp of thyme gives 7%).

    Edited for typos and to add that of course fortified cereals & bars are another way of supplementation. It's very difficult otherwise.
  • Iknewyouweretrouble
    Iknewyouweretrouble Posts: 561 Member
    dark leafy greens. lots and lots of them. it is possible if you can stomach it.
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    I understand your son as a history of anaemia but do you personally have a reason to be concerned? The vast majority of people have sufficient dietary iron unless they have underlying medical issues. Eat a balanced diet and don't stress it
  • marcellomoo
    marcellomoo Posts: 107 Member
    A lot of times I see that foods I know have iron in them, don't have it registered in the MFP database. Like the oatmeal I use. I know my iron levels are good, so I don't worry much about this.
    You're right, I have porridge every day and its logging as 0 iron content when in fact it does contain iron, probably happens with other foods too! Thanks!

    This. As far as I'm aware, food labels aren't required to display iron and lots of them don't. In the product nutrition it will usually say NA, but in your overview it will just appear that you aren't getting the amount that you actually are.
  • AdrianGuzman408
    AdrianGuzman408 Posts: 3 Member
    I was so worried about my iron and calcium intake after reading this topic. I looked up foods that I can eat but it seems like I would have to eat a lot of food, which means lots more calories, just to reach 100%. I also found the cereal called Total and that has 100% of calcium and iron and its 100cal per 3/4 cup. that means i could easily fit it within my calorie budget.

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