IRON!

kallico
kallico Posts: 24 Member
edited October 3 in Food and Nutrition
i started looking at the different components of my diet and have noticed i am always way under in iron. I know i can grab a multivitamin, but what are some foods i can start consuming that have a lot of iron in them? and what are effects of iron deficiency? thanks :)

Replies

  • rbryntes
    rbryntes Posts: 710 Member
    I had a heart attack caused by iron-deficiency anemia. So, yeah. Iron = important.

    Right now I'm eating tuna with spinach and having some high vitamin C foods to assist in iron absorbtion. Very good iron rich foods are red meat, tuna, lentils, kidney beans, liver, spinach and other dark leafy greens. Having heme rich food with vitamin C greatly helps absorbtion. I also recommend Vitron-C as an iron pill.

    ETA: these sites help explain it some.

    http://www.healthcastle.com/iron.shtml

    http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-and-wellness/iron-rich-foods
  • spasticlulu
    spasticlulu Posts: 61
    i was always told that most any green veggie is full of iron.
  • reactor25
    reactor25 Posts: 146 Member
    I noticed the same thing in my diet. I started adding 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup of grape-nut cereal to my yogurt to up my iron. 1/2 cup has almost a whole day's worth of iron.
  • wiglet23
    wiglet23 Posts: 887 Member
    i started looking at the different components of my diet and have noticed i am always way under in iron. I know i can grab a multivitamin, but what are some foods i can start consuming that have a lot of iron in them? and what are effects of iron deficiency? thanks :)

    good topic! I too have noticed a lack of enough iron in my diet. Thanks. :smile:
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    Iron pills aren't effective, your body can't process them.

    dark green leafy veggies are good, also, this is interesting.

    http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/top-iron-sources-44111008
  • Eleisabelle
    Eleisabelle Posts: 365
    The most easily absorbed iron is from red meat. However, if you limit your red meat, you can still get it--just take vitamin C to help absorb it.

    Green spinach has a lot of iron. Otherwise, dried fruits, legumes, other meats, and some fish have iron in them. You can also get iron fortified foods, like breads and cereals, if you're not restricting carbs too much.

    I wouldn't recommend supplementing unless you talk to your doctor or a nutritionist. Iron toxicity can also be a problem.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Apparently I'm getting half of my daily goal value from chex and the rest from my spinach, chicken, and protein powder. I go over every day.
  • MrsM1ggins
    MrsM1ggins Posts: 724 Member
    What are the symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia?
    •Common symptoms are due to the reduced amount of oxygen in the body. These include: tiredness, lethargy, feeling faint, becoming easily breathless.
    •Less common symptoms include: headaches, palpitations, altered taste, sore mouth and ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
    •You may look pale.

    I was only diagnosed when I went to give blood and didn't have any of the above symptoms. My doc put me on iron supplements which were not pleasant.

    Iron-rich foods include:

    •dark-green leafy vegetables, such as watercress and curly kale
    •iron-fortified bread
    •beans
    •nuts
    •meat
    •apricots
    •prunes
    •raisins
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    If you do opt for a suppliment you need to also a take a vitamin C suppliment (iron is not absirbed if you have too little Vit C)

    I am not a fan of suppliments though, not when you can get what you need through a balanced diet.
  • kallico
    kallico Posts: 24 Member
    wow thanks so much for the links and info! I will definitely be adding more spinach and altering my proteins so that iron is covered! i was under vitamin c too until i went with some oj from trader joes... just trying to get all the right nutrients in :)
  • rbryntes
    rbryntes Posts: 710 Member
    If you do opt for a suppliment you need to also a take a vitamin C suppliment (iron is not absirbed if you have too little Vit C)

    Which is why I like Vitron-C - it's coated in vitamin C. To be clear, I agree that I wouldn't take a supplement unless recommended - I'm on 2 iron pills and a multi-vitamin a day.
  • KayMae024
    KayMae024 Posts: 3 Member
    I have always been iron deficient until I stopped drinking milk. Dairy products decrease absorption of iron, so it's a bad idea to eat iron fortified cereals with milk. You could use soy or almond milk as a great substitute.
  • Eleisabelle
    Eleisabelle Posts: 365
    Ah, yes--I almost forgot! Calcium inhibits iron absorption and vice versa! So if you're supplementing, be sure to take your calcium at one time of day and your iron at a different time. I take my multi-vitamin in the morning and my calcium in the afternoon, if I supplement calcium.
  • Hoaks169
    Hoaks169 Posts: 1
    Am I the only one who noticed that the daily recomended amount of iron/day is 100mg but every diet site I checked said that the maximum for woman 19-50 years is only 18mg? Im confused.
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