Iron is mainly found in blood, bone marrow, spleen, and liver. The body of an adult contains 3-5 g of iron, of which 75-80% falls on the hemoglobin of erythrocytes, 20-25% are reserve and about 1% is contained in respiratory enzymes that catalyze the processes of respiration in cells and tissues.
Iron is excreted in urine and sweat (with urine about 0.5 mg / day, then 1-2 mg / day). Women lose 10-40 mg of iron monthly through menstrual blood.
Iron rich foods
Indicated approximate availability in 100 g of product
Daily iron requirement
- for men - 10 mg;
- for women - 18 mg
- for older women - 10 mg.
The need for iron increases
For women - with heavy bleeding during menstruation, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Iron absorption
For optimal absorption of iron, normal secretion is required gastric juice... Animal protein, ascorbic acid and other organic acids improve the absorption of iron, so the iron of vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C and organic acids is well absorbed.
The absorption of iron is facilitated by some simple carbohydrates - lactose, fructose, sorbitol, as well as amino acids - histidine and lysine. But oxalic acid and tannins impair the absorption of iron, so spinach, sorrel, blueberries, which are rich in iron, cannot serve as a good source of it.
Phosphates and phytins, found in grains, legumes and some vegetables, interfere with the absorption of iron, and if you add meat or fish to these foods, the absorption of iron improves. Also, strong tea, coffee, a large amount of dietary fiber, especially bran, prevent the absorption of iron.
Useful properties of iron and its effect on the body
Iron is involved in the formation of hemoglobin in the blood, in the synthesis of thyroid hormones, and in protecting the body from bacteria. It is necessary for the formation of immune defense cells, it is required for the "work" of the B vitamins.
Iron is a part of more than 70 different enzymes, including respiratory, which provide respiration in cells and tissues, and are involved in the neutralization of foreign substances entering the human body.
Interaction with other essential elements
Vitamin C, copper (Cu), cobalt (Co) and manganese (Mn) promote the absorption of iron from food, and the additional intake of calcium (Ca) preparations interferes with the absorption of iron by the body.
Lack and excess of iron
Iron deficiency signs
- weakness, fatigue;
- headache;
- hyperexcitability or depression;
- palpitations, pain in the region of the heart;
- shallow breathing;
- discomfort of the gastrointestinal tract;
- lack or perversion of appetite and taste;
- dryness of the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue;
- susceptibility to frequent infections.
Signs of excess iron
- headaches, dizziness;
- loss of appetite;
- the fall blood pressure;
- vomit;
- diarrhea, sometimes with blood;
- kidney inflammation.
Factors affecting the content in products
Cooking food over high heat for a long time reduces the amount of absorbed iron in food, so it is best to choose cuts of meat or fish that can be steamed or lightly fried.
Human health largely depends on the ratio of trace elements that enter the body along with food. They are also called "metals of life". Iron occupies a special place among these substances. It is interesting that men have more of this iron: on average, their blood cells contain about 2 g of iron, while women have about 1.6 g. What follows from this, in addition to the fact that women and men are different in everything, even in " body chemistry "? A simple practical conclusion: men should consume less iron than women - 8-15 mg of this element per day. Women, on the other hand, due to regular blood loss, need twice the daily dose of iron. But both of them should know which foods contain iron.
What is iron for a man?
Iron is responsible for several important functions in our body. They are not limited to the listed list, but they top it in importance.
Saturation of cells with oxygen. All cells in our body need a continuous supply of oxygen. In the blood, this is done by erythrocytes. They contain a special protein - hemoglobin, which contains iron.
Energy production. Almost all of the cells in the human body burn calories for energy. Iron is also involved in this process. With its lack in the process, failures occur, which are accompanied by weakness in the muscles and a state of general fatigue.
Participation in work immune system organism. This trace element promotes the formation of immune cells, the main task of which is to protect the body.
Foods containing iron. How to use it correctly?
Animal or plant food?
Among plant products There are many excellent sources of iron. A portion of some of them can provide more than 10% or even a third of the daily need for this micronutrient (soybeans can do this by 40%!). Plus, plant-based dishes tend to be lower in calories than meat dishes.
The best sources of plant-based iron are legumes (soybeans, beans, peas) and leafy green vegetables. Selected spices (thyme, sesame), wheat bran dishes, whole grain flour, buckwheat, wheat groats, oatmeal and dried fruits also contain it in sufficient quantities. But…
Most iron is found in meat!
First, there is a higher concentration of iron in animal products.... For example, a serving of lamb, beef, or sardines contains up to 2 mg of this element, while meat from rabbit, turkey, beef and pork liver contains about 3 mg. A significant amount of iron can be obtained from fish and egg yolks.
Secondly, iron in meat is absorbed better.... And in order to increase the percentage of absorption of this microelement from plant products by the body, you should diversify your table with dishes with a high content of vitamin C and B vitamins. In other words, eat an apple with the steak and pour the salmon steak with orange sauce.
Thirdly, "meat" iron is quite resistant to heat treatment, as opposed to vegetable. Whole grains, for example, can lose about 75% of their composition during flour making.
It is also worth noting that some of the iron can "go" into the water in which the food is boiled. So, spinach leaves boiling for three minutes lose it by almost 90%. To minimize such losses, it is advisable to shorten the cooking time of herbal products and use less water.
Surprisingly, cast iron cookware can, on the contrary, "add" iron to food. We are talking about a very meager amount. However, the therapeutic effect of using cast iron pots has been proven by scientific research.
However, it should be borne in mind that this question is even more complicated than we think. Research recent years show that consuming celery for several weeks helps restore iron balance as well as, and even better, than meat.
REMINDER: WHAT PRODUCTS CONTAIN IRON?
There is a lot of iron in animal products, especially "with blood": well-cooked cuts of meat, fried or boiled from very fresh beef, offal, fish and seafood (especially shrimp), poultry (especially white chicken meat).
In plant products, the most iron is found in green vegetables and legumes: soybeans, lentils, spinach, etc., tofu, sesame seeds, chickpeas, beans, olives, chard and beets, tomatoes and baked potatoes with skin, pumpkin and onions , dried mushrooms. There is a lot of iron in buckwheat porridge, fruits and berries: apples, plums, bananas, pomegranates, pears, peaches, persimmons, black currants, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, dried fruits.
Risk of iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency symptoms
Children are also at risk of developing iron deficiency, especially for babies under 2 years of age and adolescents during periods of active growth of the body.
Endurance exercise can lead to a loss of 50% of your iron stores if you don't take care of the daily replenishment of this element in the body. And some gastrointestinal problems (such as gastritis) prevent it from being absorbed properly.
Iron levels decrease with blood loss, in young children and during active growth, during strength training and gastrointestinal diseases.
Iron deficiency symptoms:
- Tired, shortness of breath, interruptions in the work of the heart, headaches and dizziness (up to fainting), irritability, distracted attention syndrome, hypersensitivity to cold.
- Decreased appetite, nausea, loose stools... With progressive anemia, there is a perverse appetite and sense of smell.
- Violation menstrual cycle especially in adolescent girls.
- Decreased immunity.
- Cracked lips and tongue, brittle nails.
Compatibility with other nutrients
Vitamin C
The use of vitamin C in combination with iron-containing foods optimizes the absorption of the trace element by the body. Just 50 mg of this vitamin, taken from half a grapefruit, for example, can triple your iron absorption. Note that this effect extends more to the "vegetable" than to the "meat" metal of life.
Vitamin A
A lack of vitamin A can negatively affect the formation of hemoglobin, but this deficiency must be significant.
Copper
Copper helps to mobilize iron stores in the body for their further work in blood cells and not only. Legumes are rich in both iron and copper. Therefore, dishes made from them are best suited for quickly replenishing the reserves of these elements in the body.
Calcium
Calcium and iron compete for intestinal absorption. Therefore, with low hemoglobin, buckwheat is preferable, cooked not in milk, but in water. And without sugar (he's also a ferrum blocker).
Adequate amounts of folic acid are especially important for the absorption of iron by pregnant women.
Some foods slow down the absorption of iron in the stomach and intestines. For example, if it is deficient, you should not drink black tea and coffee after eating.
Excess iron in the human body
An excess of an element leads to no less complex consequences than its deficiency. When oversaturated with it, the skin acquires an icteric tint, the work of the heart (arrhythmias) is disrupted, the liver enlarges, people feel a breakdown, dizziness, and pigmentation of the skin is observed.
Very rarely, an excessive amount of iron enters the human body with food, since the body itself regulates the intensity of its absorption. But special nutritional supplements and some medications can easily cause an excess of it. Therefore, they categorically cannot be used without special need and without the consent of a doctor.
The cause of excess iron may be a hereditary predisposition to excess iron accumulation. This is a fairly common disease, although it is difficult to diagnose. Such people should reduce the number of foods high in iron in their diet.
Irina Kamshilina
Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than for yourself))
Content
The human body needs to consume substances on a daily basis that regulate its work. They help all systems to perform their functions properly. Vitamins and trace elements enter the human body through food, therefore a proper balanced diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The lack of iron in the body, which is necessary for normal metabolism, is especially noticeable for people. To prevent it from happening, eat foods containing iron every day. Read more about why the body needs this substance and what food contains it, read below.
Why does the body need iron
Iron is an element that plays an important role in human metabolism. After entering the stomach along with iron-containing foods, the trace element is absorbed mostly in the upper intestinal region. When iron enters the bloodstream, it helps in the formation of hemoglobin. It is a special protein that carries oxygen to organ tissues. A lack of iron-containing foods in the diet can provoke a lack of hemoglobin, due to which a person will experience unpleasant symptoms. There are 2 types of iron:
- Heme. Substance of animal origin. Possesses high digestibility (up to 35%), to a greater extent takes part in the production of hemoglobin.
- Non-heme. Plant matter. It has a relatively low digestibility (up to 20%), but it is better suited for dietary nutrition.
Daily iron requirement for adults and children
Without daily intake of iron, a person begins to feel bad, diseases can develop that provoke disruptions in the heart system, gastrointestinal tract... Lack of it leads to disruption of the thyroid gland, which produces hormones, a strong uncontrolled weight gain can occur. Normally, a person has 3-4 milligrams of iron in the body, but about 1 milligram is naturally lost every day. The reasons for this:
- Skin flaking and sweating.
- Menses in women.
- Bleeding.
- During pregnancy, a large amount of iron is spent on the formation of the body of the unborn child (for example, erythrocytes), on the building material of the placenta.
- Heredity (if a large amount of iron is lost).
Iron-containing foods are especially necessary for anemia, which is characterized by a lack of hemoglobin and provokes a person's poor health. To prevent its development, an adult man needs to consume about 8 milligrams per day, women - 18-20. Recommended for children under 13 years old - 7-10 milligrams, for adolescents - 11 milligrams for boys and 15 for girls. It is advisable for pregnant women to consume at least 27 milligrams per day, which are required for the normal development of the fetus.
Iron-rich foods
Iron is found in most foods and is absorbed differently depending on the type. There is more of it in some plant components than, for example, in meat, but due to the worse digestibility, you need to eat them in much larger quantities than animal food for a similar replenishment of iron stores in the body. List of foods, iron-containing foods:
- Dried fruits: figs, apricots, raisins, plums. Half a glass of a single fruit or a mixture of these can contain up to 1.6 milligrams of iron.
- Fish and seafood. Most of the iron is found in shellfish (per 100 grams - almost thirty milligrams), followed by oysters (9.2 per 100 grams), mussels (7 per 100 grams), sardines with anchovies (2.9 milligrams of the element in each product per 100 grams) ...
- Meat. This product is usually not a dietary product, so doctors do not recommend focusing on it as a main course for replenishing iron stores. A lot of the substance is found in the liver, beef, lamb, chicken meat. In order not to harm the body, it is advisable to eat not too much animal food every day.
- Whole wheat bread. It also contains useful substances such as copper and cobalt.
- Cereals with cereals. Buckwheat, oat flakes, rice.
- White and dark poultry meat (turkey, chicken).
- Legumes. A dietary product that is ideal for the daily diet of pregnant women. These are chickpeas, green peas, pinto beans, beans, lima beans, red beans, lentils.
- Leafy vegetables. Non-nutritive food, rich not only in iron, but also in other useful microelements - zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus.
- Nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts.
Find out which ones are essential for health.
Found a mistake in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we'll fix it!More often than not, people start to worry about iron-containing foods when anemia develops. However, iron deficiency can be manifested not only by a decrease in hemoglobin. If you lack iron in food, you may experience unpleasant symptoms such as fatigue, lethargy, dizziness, and headaches. Adding iron-rich foods to your diet can improve your well-being. Below we have posted a table of foods high in iron.
However, it is necessary to understand that the iron that comes to us with food can be of two types:
Vegetable iron / non-heme / is found in plant foods, vegetables, fruits, cereals;
Iron of animal origin / heme / - as the name implies, iron from blood hemoglobin - is found most of all in red meat, fish, and poultry.
It is heme iron that is absorbed best by the body. So iron from meat is absorbed by 20-22%; iron from fish by 10-11%; from plant products by only 1-6%. Therefore, if you are a vegetarian, or follow a plant-based diet, the amount of plant foods with a high iron content should be significantly higher, since such iron is less absorbed by the body.
Signs of a lack of iron in the body:
Anemia;
- rapid heartbeat with minor
loads;
- difficulty breathing;
- pallor and dryness of the skin;
- deformation and fragility of nails;
- migrating pains and pains in the heart;
- headache and dizziness;
- emotional lability;
- perversions in nutrition, especially
children / chalk, soil, sand /;
- obesity.
Iron intake rates depending on gender and age:
Children: 1-3 years old - 6.9 mg per day
3-11 years old - 19 mg
11-14 mg - 12 mg
14-18 years old - 15 mg
19-50 years old 18 mg
Over 50 years old - 8 mg
Pregnant women - 30 mg per day
14-18 years old - 11 mg
over 19 years old - 8 mg.
Foods high in iron from animal sources
| The product's name | |
|---|---|
| pork liver | 20,2 |
| chicken liver | 17,5 |
| beef liver | 6,9 |
| beef heart | 4,8 |
| pork heart | 4,1 |
| beef meat | 3,6 |
| lamb meat | 3,1 |
| pork meat | 1,8 |
| chicken's meat | 1,6 |
| turkey meat | 1,4 |
| oysters | 9,2 |
| mussels | 6,7 |
| sardines | 2,9 |
| black caviar | 2,4 |
| chicken yolk | 6,7 |
| quail yolk | 3,2 |
| beef tongue | 4,1 |
| pork tongue | 3,2 |
| tuna (canned) | 1,4 |
| sardines (canned) | 2,9 |
Plant-based foods high in iron
| The product's name | Iron content in mg per 100 g |
|---|---|
| wheat bran | 11,1 |
| buckwheat | 6,7 |
| oatmeal | 3,9 |
| Rye bread | 3,9 |
| soy | 9,7 |
| lentils | 11,8 |
| spinach | 2,7 |
| corn | 2,7 |
| peas | 1,5 |
| beet | 1,7 |
| peanut | 4,6 |
| pistachios | 3,9 |
| almond | 3,7 |
| Walnut | 2,9 |
| dogwood | 4,1 |
| persimmon | 2,5 |
| dried apricots | 3,2 |
| dried prunes | 3 |
| Garnet | 1 |
| apples | 0,1 |
The opinion that most of the iron is contained in grants and apples is not true. 100 grams of these fruits contains no more than 1 and 2 milligrams of iron. In addition, this iron is of plant origin, and it is absorbed worse.
Table of foods high in iron per 100 grams
|
Iron (mg) |
Iron (mg) |
||
|
Apricots |
|||
|
Nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts) |
|||
|
Orange |
|||
|
Mutton |
Parsley (root) |
||
|
Egg white |
Pork liver |
||
|
White bread |
Calf liver |
||
|
Tomatoes |
|||
|
Cowberry |
Beef kidney |
||
|
Grape |
Wheat flour |
||
|
Beef |
|||
|
Sea fish |
|||
|
Fresh mushrooms |
|||
|
Dried mushrooms |
|||
|
Breast milk |
|||
|
Mackerel |
|||
|
Dried pear |
|||
|
Butter |
|||
|
Chum caviar |
Black currant |
||
|
Turkey meat |
|||
|
Veal |
|||
|
Sea cabbage |
|||
|
Cauliflower |
|||
|
Potato |
|||
|
Strawberry |
Pumpkin seeds |
||
|
Oat groats |
Rye bread |
||
|
Gooseberry |
Wheat bread |
||
|
Corn |
|||
|
Prunes |
|||
|
Lentils |
|||
|
Pasta |
Rose hip |
||
|
Semolina |
|||
|
Cow's milk |
|||
|
Egg yolk |
|||
|
Beef tongue |
|||
|
Mandarin |
Dried apples |
||
|
Beef brains |
Chicken egg |
||
What is the risk of a lack of iron in the body?
Constant tiredness, weakness, and headaches can indicate anemia. Most often, along with a calcium deficiency in the body, there is a lack of iron. Since most of it is in reds blood cells living only 120 days, iron stores need to be replenished all the time. This is especially important for women who lose twice as much of this element during the month as men.
The body absorbs only 8% of the iron in food or tablets. IRON may not be enough if: you drink a lot of coffee or tea; - you take aspirin, polopyrin for a long time; - the body lacks vitamin C, copper, manganese, cobalt, which facilitate its absorption from digestive tract.
Of the 716 girls selected for research, 112 were found to be iron deficient. He has not yet reached the level where you can talk about anemia. Test series at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore
showed that those girls who were given 260 mg of iron (in tablets) a day improved their results in concentration and memorization of words. The selection of girls for research is due to the fact that they
suffer from iron deficiency during puberty.
Iron supplements should not be taken in unlimited quantities. This can damage the digestive tract or even poison the body. Do not give iron to children or take during pregnancy without consulting a doctor. On the other hand, an iron-fortified diet is absolutely safe. Never causes signs of poisoning in adults and healthy children. The richest in iron are liver, kidneys, meat, cereals, beans, oatmeal, egg yolks, dried apricots, nuts, spinach, nettle leaves.
Hello, dear readers... Iron is one of the most abundant metals in the earth's crust. It has been used by man for the manufacture of various materials since the days of Ancient Egypt. But, iron is necessary not only for the manufacture of weapons and household items, but also for the health of our body. The article answers the questions: "Why does our body need iron?" and "How to make up for iron deficiency?" Indeed, with its deficiency, the work of the body can change significantly. And this happens, as a rule, for the worse. Iron is a biologically important element in the living organism, the role of which is extremely difficult to overestimate.
On the blog I have an article, or rather my story, about how I succeeded with food, without the use of drugs.
What is iron and its role in the body
Iron is involved in a variety of important processes of our body, which are global in the understanding of a closed biological system (which is our body).
1. Required element for the formation of hemoglobin. It is iron that reacts with oxygen, and thus, supplies it to the cells of our body. And hemoglobin is also responsible for removing carbon dioxide. It is this chemical element gives our blood a red color.
2. Responsible for the formation of myoglobin, which enables our body to store oxygen. Therefore, we can hold our breath for a while.
3. Responsible for neutralizing toxic substances in the liver.
4. Responsible for immunity. This chemical element provides the activity of interferon, which is released if our cells are infected with a virus.
5. The thyroid gland synthesizes hormones, and this process requires iron.
6. Without iron, vitamins of group B will not be absorbed. And the health of our body depends on the abundance of vitamins of this group, including the beauty of the skin, hair, and nail plates.
7. Fe is also essential for children, as it normalizes growth.
8. Without iron, protein metabolism is impossible, and the element is also involved in DNA synthesis.
Thus, one chemical element is involved in the mass of the most important biochemical processes in the body.
Therefore, iron deficiency is considered a disease that should be treated. And also it is the lack of oxygen that is considered to be the cause of the formation of cancer.
Therefore, a healthy iron content is essential for good health. It is important for everyone to know the symptoms of a deficiency of this substance.
The main symptoms of iron deficiency
Anemia is a condition when the concentration of hemoglobin and red blood cells in the blood is below normal. In medical terms, the disease is called Anemia. And one of the causes of this disease is a lack of iron.
A deficiency can arise for several reasons:
✔ Wrong diet.
✔ Intensive growth of the body.
✔ Pregnancy and lactation period.
✔ Extensive blood loss.
Therefore, in order to understand whether you have a lack of iron, you need to know the main signs of such a condition. After all, it is very dangerous.
Of course, an accurate diagnosis can only be made by a physician based on tests, and not all symptoms may appear.
However, their presence is a wake-up call that should push you to think about your health.
Iron deficiency symptoms
1. Discoloration of the skin. The skin becomes pale.
2. Increased fatigue.
3. The appearance of shortness of breath atypical for you during the period of moderate physical activity.
4. Rapid heartbeat without an objective reason.
5. Decreased temperature of the feet and palms.
6. Brittle nails.
7. Frequent attacks of headaches.
8. The formation of plaque in the language.
9. Fainting and hypotension.
10. Strange taste preferences are likely, such as raw spaghetti and meat become very appetizing for you.
Symptoms may not be immediately apparent once the body is deficient. But, if this condition continues, then the symptoms will gradually appear.
How much iron is needed for the body per day
To calculate the norm, we will assume that our body assimilates only 10% of the products.
Daily Value for Adult Men - 10 milligrams.
The norm for a teen boyfriend - 11 milligrams.
For adult women - 18 milligrams.
During pregnancy and lactation - from 20 to 30 milligrams.
Teen girl - about 14 milligrams.
Ladies over 50 - about 12 milligrams.
Children under 3 years of age - about 6-7 milligrams.
Children from 3 to 11 years old - 10 milligrams.
Children under 14 years old - 12 milligrams.
Keep in mind that the need is individual and depends on the level of physical activity. If you follow a diet that excludes the consumption of meat, fish and poultry, then the rate increases by an average of 1.8. This is due to the lower absorption of non-animal iron.
You have probably seen many tables in which the iron content is described. But when calculating the diet, an allowance should be made for the fact that not all iron is absorbed.
Therefore, an approximate diet for a normal daily iron intake will be provided under the following heading.
Iron in Food - Master List and Table
When choosing food, it is important not only the iron content in them, but also the degree of its assimilation.
Iron is absorbed in greater amounts from food of animal origin, meat and fish, more often red in color. This type of iron is called heme.
There is also a second type of iron - non-heme. It is safer for our body, but it is less absorbed. It is found in other foods, vegetables and fruits, legumes.
Detailed information on iron content is presented in the table below. I also want to provide a list best products rich in iron.
Rating of foods that are rich in iron
1. Molluscs.
2. White beans.
3. Beef liver.
4. Beef.
5. Other types of meat.
6. Fish. Tuna is in the lead.
8. Vegetable products. Vegetables, fruits, cereals, dried fruits. All types of nuts, especially pistachios and walnuts.
9. Bitter chocolate.
10. Seeds. You can pamper yourself with a healthy delicacy - halva. Give preference to sesame halva.
11. Dried mushrooms.
An example of calculating the consumption of 2.5 milligrams of iron that will be assimilated is about 100 grams of boiled beef. And if you don't eat meat, then to consume 4.1 milligrams of non-heme iron, you need to eat about 140 grams of tofu.
Fruits containing iron
Among berries and fruits, the well-known pomegranate is in the lead, the juice of which is often brought to pregnant women to increase hemoglobin. Also on this list were persimmons, dogwood, apples, plums, mulberries, black chokeberries, rose hips.
Iron rich vegetables
The richest in iron are green vegetables - spinach, lettuce, greens, cabbage, beans, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, beets. They are all rich folic acid, and the structure of chlorophyll is similar to the chemical structure of hemoglobin. Vegetables are recommended to be eaten raw or slightly undercooked.
Red meat as a source of iron to increase hemoglobin
Red meat is the leader among iron-boosting foods. First, it is better absorbed.
Second, the most affordable product. And of course, it has a high iron content. But there are a number of nuances here.
Preference should be given to certain types of meat, namely beef, rabbit, veal. And, if possible, the liver and tongue. Try to buy the freshest product, ideally fresh meat.
The cooking method itself is also important. The roast should be medium, and better light... You should not stew meat, as due to the long cooking, all the iron will go into the water.
Cereals that contain iron
It is recommended to use buckwheat, oatmeal, barley grits, rye, wheat bran, bulgur, rice. It is best if you use unpolished cereals. They contain the most useful substances. This is especially true for rice.
I also want to focus on what interferes and promotes the assimilation of an important element from the products.
What promotes and interferes with the absorption of iron
Remember that the cause of iron deficiency may not be in the diet at all, and the deficiency itself may be a symptom of another medical condition.
Reduces the absorption of iron:
- High intestinal slagging, iron is absorbed by the upper intestine.
- A diet dominated by fatty foods and dairy products, since calcium reduces the absorption of iron and vice versa, so these foods should not be combined.
- Tannin, which is found in tea and coffee.
- Long-term heat treatment of food.
- Phytins, which are found in regular bread, as opposed to coarse bread.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Iron in food is well absorbed by our body if combined with such vitamins, trace elements and foods.
Increases the absorption of iron:
- Vitamin C.
- B vitamins.
- Cooking in cast iron cookware.
- Molybdenum, which is found in rice, tomatoes, and parsley.
- Copper, which is rich in nuts and avocados.
- Cobalt, found in chicory and spinach.
- Zinc, so eat seafood, seeds, buckwheat and rye bread.
- Cinnamon.
- Thyme.
- Mint.
- Anise.
- Moderate consumption of pickles and sauerkraut together with foods rich in iron.
- Eating onions and garlic along with cereals, they contain sulfur, which increases absorption.
Don't blindly pursue high iron content. Everything needs balance, so any diet must be thought out.
Excess iron leads to poor absorption of Ca, Mg, Zn, which is also bad for the body. The diet should include both heme and non-heme iron.
Choose healthy and healthy foods, lean meats, seafood, vegetables and fruits, and healthy grains.
Remember, in large doses over 200 milligrams per day, iron is toxic, and a lethal dose is from 7 grams.
With an excess of iron, the body gives us signals in the form of symptoms:
✔ Headache attacks.
✔ Dizziness.
✔ The appearance of pigmentation on the skin.
✔ Stool disorders.
✔ Vomit.
Excessive iron intake can lead to liver dysfunction. It also increases the likelihood of a whole spectrum occurring serious illnesses such as diabetes and atherosclerosis.
Violated normal work immune system, and the risk of various types of tumors increases.
You should not take iron-increasing medications without your doctor's prescription.
If, after changing your diet, your condition does not improve, then you should seek medical help.
And anemia is not a harmless disease at all, and can lead to a host of consequences. Therefore, it is better to diagnose the problem at an early stage, and start treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
Also, treatment should include the correct selection of physical activity and the rejection of addictions.