How important is it to include iron into your diet?

iron is important--if you don't get enough you can become anemic...and have faiting spells---iron supplements are over the counter but can cause you to be constepated if you over do it. but highly recommend that you talk to your doctor to find out what your iron levels are.

Take a multivitamin and you're set.

I don't eat nearly enough Iron in my diet so I take a multivitamin that contains it. Iron is vital to your body for carrying oxygen in both hemoglobin in your blood and myoglobin in muscles. I wouldn't just start taking an iron supplement other than a multivitamin without first checking with your doctor as too much iron has some pretty severe consequences.

A good site to read about iron and supplements is on the National Institutes of Health and can be found here:
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron/

You def need iron. If you're not getting enough iron then, you will become anemic. There are alot of other high iron foods but if you can not incorporate them into your diet, then I recommend that you take an iron supplement (but beware because they can & will cause constipation).

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/blood/009.html#ArticleParsysMiddleColumn0009

Iron is really important as an inadequate intake can cause ill-health- but you should be able to get all you need from your diet without resorting to supplements.
One of the problems that I have found with some of the foods in the database is they neglect to enter any values for vitamins & minerals. So just because your daily totals tell you that you aren't getting enough - this may not actually be the case.
For example - I eat a lot of broccoli which is a good source of iron - but it doesn't always register in my diet depending on which food I select from the database. I didn't realise this to begin with, but I'm learning as I go along!
The following website is a good source of information if you want to take a look at all the nutrients in your food - http://nutritiondata.self.com/
I personally would avoid iron supplements unless you have medical evidence that you have iron-deficiency anaemia - if you have enough in your diet, then additional iron can give you iron overload which is also not good!

I'm chronically anemic but not because of my diet - my blood doesn't absorb it well. I hven't been able to give blood in years.
I try to get my iron in my diet. It's the best way. Loads of leafy greens like kale (I add kale to most thing we eat - scrambled eggs, salads, pasta) .
I'm also taking prenatal vits (nursing) w/extra iron as well. I also drink Shakeology. Lots of nutrients !

If you can handle the taste, then I recommend blackstrap molasses. I don't eat red meat and I've been iron-deficient since childhood (I ate lots of red meat as a child though but was always anemic). I've been taking a tbsp of BSM for less than a year now and no longer need iron supplements. Blackstrap molasses (preferably the unsulphered kind) is loaded with other nutrients like zinc and some b vitamins. The iron is absorbed even better if you take it with vitamin c (I eat an orange or kiwi). I couldn't stand the taste at first but now I don't mind it at all.

Also watch your coffee intake. It blocks some iron absorption.

lushy we have just fallen out lol coffee is so lush is made correct ! baked beans are high in iron, i asked my nurse why i crave baked beans when its time of month and she said its because my body is craving iron intake and they have loads of it!! brocoli and cabage is also reli good xxx