Do you get enough iron?

Sarahloulalou
Sarahloulalou Posts: 60 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've noticed since logging more that I never hit my iron target 100%

I'd find it quite hard to, is this common? I've just bought a multivitamin with iron but if I could get it from food I'd feel happier. But the thought of loading up on red meat doesn't do it for me much.

Any hints on how I can up my iron intake?

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    This link may help you for non meat sources of iron

    http://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/iron.aspx
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    I usually get mine. I take turmeric supplements (I make them myself by just taking the actual spice and putting it in gelatin capsules) to help inflammation I get around my lungs. But it has some iron in it so it helps. I also get some from my probiotic (I use Garden of Life Powder, again, put into capsules. My tummy likes powders more than pills but most of them taste gross). Otherwise I like to just add in where I can. Spinach to my pasta and I make homemade spinach tortillas. Adding kale to lasagna. I snack on dried fruits. There are lots of ways to sneak a little in. I also eat a lot of artichokes. At least while they're in season.
  • helenrosemay
    helenrosemay Posts: 375 Member
    A lot of foods in the database don't have the iron count. So you could be getting more iron than you think unless you're adding all your own foods.
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
    I've noticed since logging more that I never hit my iron target 100%

    I'd find it quite hard to, is this common? I've just bought a multivitamin with iron but if I could get it from food I'd feel happier. But the thought of loading up on red meat doesn't do it for me much.

    Any hints on how I can up my iron intake?

    Hi,

    Regarding iron - you should read this: http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/iron/
  • notworthstalking
    notworthstalking Posts: 531 Member
    A lot of foods in the database don't have the iron count. So you could be getting more iron than you think unless you're adding all your own foods.

    This. I however do have low ish iron. My count was borderline anaemic . I get really tired , even with enough sleep and asked for a blood test. Interestingly my Sensi who is a natropath check my nails, pulse and eyelids and said the same thing. Apart from tablets, which have yucky side effects , I am also having orange juic with my lunch, and with my dinner at work I have started having fruit after for desert. Also trying to have different veggies with my meats. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron.
  • stefjc
    stefjc Posts: 484 Member
    That's one thing I don't have to count.... I am anaemic, pernicious anaemia, so I could bathe in the stuff and my body wouldn't absorb any of it!

    I do believe that many foods and counters do not include iron. A quick google might set your mind at rest.
  • Jeneba
    Jeneba Posts: 699 Member
    Black strap molasses is an excellent source of iron for vegetarians.
  • mspoopoo
    mspoopoo Posts: 500 Member
    I am prone to anemia so I take a prescription supplement from time to time.
  • fuzzieme
    fuzzieme Posts: 454 Member
    I don't go by RDA, I just eat a varied vegan diet and get regular blood tests and my levels are always very good without any supplements...a small glass of orange juice twenty minutes before meals aids absorption. My RDA has probably never been met on a daily basis, but my blood tests and readings from blood donation shows my iron is higher than that of any woman I've spoken to about it, go me :laugh:

    So I'd get a test done, just to be sure, you might be perfectly fine
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
    I fall under quite often as well. This page is great.

    http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.php

    Even though more of the iron found in red meat is absorbed than what is found in plants, it takes 1700 calories worth of sirloin to get as much iron as you get in 100 calories of spinach. I like how many options this list gives and also the quantity you should eat. women in menses need around 14 mg a day of iron. Also remember, it takes up to 6 months for iron stores to fully build up in your system and they are very slowly depleted over time, so if you don't hit that number every day, it's OK. You'll only store a fraction each day, but over time it builds.
  • lessplusmore
    lessplusmore Posts: 27 Member
    When I donate blood I get my hemoglobin & cholesterol count. You could do this to let you know if you are getting enough iron
  • Wildflower0106
    Wildflower0106 Posts: 247 Member
    I stuggle to get enough iron. My body doesn't absorb it like a "normal" body. Iron is always part of my supplement list. I also eat iron eich foods, unfortunately I can't eat red meat due to digestive problems. From time to time I have take Triple S Tonic, which is disgusting but it is packed with iron and It gets my levels up quicker if I become anemic.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    You can also good in a cast iron pan. (Noting acidic).

    I supplement, I tend towards anemia. With a combo of hypothyroidism and some recent bouts with heavy periods it is the only way for me to stay dosed. My stomach hates most of the supplements.
  • choijanro
    choijanro Posts: 754 Member
    Yes,, i eat green leafy veggies,, chicken & pork liver and taking iron supplements
  • marie_2454
    marie_2454 Posts: 881 Member
    I get most of my iron from cereal. The Target brand of Cheerios has 80%, and the Kroger brand of frosted wheat has 90%. Vitatop muffins have about 50%, and some granola, protein, fiber bars have 35%+. I still take a multivitamin, but it's not too hard to reach 100% if I eat at least a little of these.
  • Sarahloulalou
    Sarahloulalou Posts: 60 Member
    Wow thanks for the replies. I'll definitely get an iron skillet to cook.

    Unfortunately we don't have a Kroger or target here in the UK but I'll look out for alternatives. Until I started logging iron had never entered my thoughts until I saw that most days I'd get about 10% :ohwell:

    I can't bring myself to eat liver but I could eat steak allllll day. Love spinach too so thanks
  • vienna_h
    vienna_h Posts: 428 Member
    I was iron deficient, but last week I had a follow-up, and I'm not deficient anymore!

    I also can't eat too much red meat, or any meat for that matter. But it's the best source of iron, and its heme-iron so it's easy for the body to absorb. Plant iron is non-heme, so even if there is lots of iron in spinach lets say, its the kind that the body can't aborb very well. You have to eat tons and tons of spinach to equal one steak.

    I've been getting my iron in my diet through protein shakes. Whey Gourmet in Chocolate Peanut Butter is 75% iron, Vega One is 50%. Together its 125%, but keep in mind that calcium binds with Iron and prevents it from being absorbed, so I don't get all 125% of the iron. but it's been enough to get my iron back up :) This is also why cereal is high in iron: most of it is wasted because it binds with calcium and never gets absorbed in your body. So don't rely on cereal, and use water or juice in protein shakes.

    While calcium inhibits the aborption of iron, vitamin C increases it. So when you eat foods with iron, have vitamin C with it and avoid calcium.

    I used to take iron supplements on and off (they irritate my stomach) but I hadn't taken any for months before my last blood test, and my iron was high enough. I'll start taking them again if I stop the high-iron protein shakes or start getting my period again. Bleeding makes you lose iron. You could also take Birth control pills to stop your period. And don't donate blood.

    Do you have a reason to believe you are iron deficient? any symptoms? you may not be deficient, but just to be safe, get all the iron you can in your diet. If you think you are deficient, ask your doc for a blood test.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Go donate blood. You'll find out for free right away if you're not getting enough iron. Plus, it helps save people's lives. Win-win.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    A lot of foods in the database don't have the iron count. So you could be getting more iron than you think unless you're adding all your own foods.

    ^^^ this

    you can get your blood checked to see if you have enough iron in your system. if your iron levels in your blood is fine and you're eating plenty of nutritious food, then I wouldn't stress about what MFP says, most foods don't have iron included in the nutrients so the number you get on MFP will be less than how much iron you're actually getting.
  • shano25
    shano25 Posts: 233 Member
    One of the reasons why I use this site is to keep an eye on how much iron I'm getting, as I eat a mostly meat-free diet.

    A lot of my iron comes from grains - bread, pasta, crackers - and from meat substitutes. I was surprised to see today that my 100g Iogo yogurt scored 15.

    I always make sure to take a vitamin c supplement at dinner time when I tend to have large amounts of iron in my diet. Also be careful not to take a calcium supplement when you're eating foods high in iron. I do take a multivitamin during the first few days of my menstrual cycle just to be sure I'm not becoming deficient, my iron levels always test low but normal.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    A lot of foods in the database don't have the iron count. So you could be getting more iron than you think unless you're adding all your own foods.

    ^^^ this

    you can get your blood checked to see if you have enough iron in your system. if your iron levels in your blood is fine and you're eating plenty of nutritious food, then I wouldn't stress about what MFP says, most foods don't have iron included in the nutrients so the number you get on MFP will be less than how much iron you're actually getting.

    Yeah, have your blood checked. It's not an issue if you do not have low iron. Some people can even have excess iron, and that's not good. I needed to increase my iron, but I did not rely on the mfp food database to give me proper info on that. Iron is just not filled in correctly. Just eat some foods with iron in it. If you eat meat, then have that once in a while as well. And if you are low increase the iron foods and take supplements until the problem is resolved (you don't have to take them everyday). There are some good links in this thread for finding iron rich foods.
  • dreamingof_thin
    dreamingof_thin Posts: 40
    i have a huge iron deficiency, in my blood i only have a reading of 18 whilst a healthy reading is over 50
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
    Yes,, i eat green leafy veggies,, chicken & pork liver and taking iron supplements

    Is that an 8-pack?
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Iron is overrated as long as you aren't anemic. It forms free radicals and gives bacteria something to live on. If you absorb it too efficiently, and don't get rid of it, it can be toxic.
  • Crystaleyed
    Crystaleyed Posts: 229 Member
    Hello,
    I used to be more or less okay with this, but since becoming vegetarian iron levels have become a bit of an issue for me. I've found that belvita breakfast biscuits have 80% of your iron needs, but I don't eat a lot of them on a regular basis, I tend to just take an iron supplement. Anyway, I hope this helped :)
  • Sarahloulalou
    Sarahloulalou Posts: 60 Member
    Hello,
    I used to be more or less okay with this, but since becoming vegetarian iron levels have become a bit of an issue for me. I've found that belvita breakfast biscuits have 80% of your iron needs, but I don't eat a lot of them on a regular basis, I tend to just take an iron supplement. Anyway, I hope this helped :)

    Wow that's a lot. I'll look into them, not sure I've ever tried them. Thankyou :)
  • Sarahloulalou
    Sarahloulalou Posts: 60 Member
    Just learnt that Kelloggs bran flakes have 25% in a 30g serving
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Maybe someone already said this, but to absorb non-heme iron the best, you should not eat it at the same time as calcium rich foods (like milk and cheese) and should eat it with vitamin c foods. Also coffee, tea, and other antioxidant rich foods can also inhibit iron absorption (unless it's a vitamin c rich food, then it's good to eat with the iron, as I said before).
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    Go donate blood. You'll find out for free right away if you're not getting enough iron. Plus, it helps save people's lives. Win-win.

    The first time I gave blood, my iron was a bit on the low side. I passed out after giving blood. The second time I was rejected because my iron was too low (years later). The 3rd time, the same thing happened.

    I haven't tried to give blood again, but my iron levels are good per my last blood test.

    OP, there are lots of things that can impact your absorption. For me the combo of hypothyroid, mild anemia and heavy periods did me in. My periods stopped for a few months, and magically my iron levels were really high. Now that it is back, we will see how things go. I have been taking extra during my period especially.

    I have been taking roughly 20-40 mg a day to stay on track for the past 2 years. For a while, I was taking 18mg 3 times a day on the advice of my doctor to rebuild my stores.

Categories