Guest guest Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Boosting Iron Absorption JoAnn Guest Dec 11, 2004 18:28 PST --- Boosting Iron Absorption- Food or Supplements? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How Can I Boost My Iron Absorption? If you have had your blood tested and you know you are not getting enough iron, then eating a diet of iron-rich foods is the best next step. The Recommended Dietary Allowance for iron is 10 mg daily for men and postmenopausal women and 15 mg for women of childbearing age. Women need more iron daily to replace the iron lost each month during menstruation. Pregnant women need 18 mg daily (and sometimes more). The body absorbs only about twenty percent of the iron available from vegetarian sources.You can increase the amount of iron that is absorbed by eating foods high in vitamin C along with foods high in iron. Vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, dark leafy greens,kohlrabi, organic potato (white), sweet pepper, and organic tomatoes are all good sources of vitamin C. The best fruit sources of vitamin C are cantaloupe, guava, honeydew melon, mango, strawberries, and watermelon. More Tricks For Iron Another way to promote iron absorption is to eliminate coffee and tea with meals, especially when eating foods that contain significant amounts of iron. Coffee has been shown to decrease iron *absorption* by as much as 39 percent and tea by 64 percent. This is thought to be due to tannins and other substances that bind with the iron and make it less absorbable. This effect has been known to occur even when tea or coffee was consumed one hour after the meal. Adding milk to coffee/tea further decreases iron absorption. You can partially counteract this effect with vitamin C rich foods, but why not enjoy a glass of orange juice with your breakfast instead of coffee? Cooking with cast iron pots can significantly increase the iron content of food. This is especially true when cooking acidic foods like tomatoes. ---------------------------- Dried cooked beans and dark leafy green vegetables are especially good sources of iron, better on a per calorie basis than meat. Iron absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing vitamin C along with foods rich in iron. Heme vs. Non-heme Iron Iron is an essential nutrient because it is a central part of " hemoglobin " which carries oxygen in the blood. Iron deficiency anemia is a worldwide health problem which is especially common in young women and in children. Iron is found in food in two forms, 'heme' and 'non-heme' iron. Non-heme iron, 60 percent of the iron in animal tissue and all the iron in plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts) is less absorbed. Vitamin C acts to markedly increase absorption of non-heme iron. Adding a vitamin C source to a meal increases non-heme iron absorption up to six-fold which makes the absorption of non-heme iron as good or better than that of heme iron. Fortunately, many vegetables, such as broccoli and bok choy, which are high in iron are also high in vitamin C so the iron in these foods is very well absorbed. Commonly eaten combinations, such as beans and organic tomato sauce or stir-fried tofu and broccoli, also result in generous levels of iron absorption. Both calcium and tannins (found in tea and coffee) reduce iron absorption. Tea should be used several hours before a meal which is high in iron. FOOD AMOUNT-- IRON (mg) organic Soybeans, cooked 1 cup 8.8 Blackstrap molasses 2 Tbsp 7.0 Lentils, cooked 1 cup 6.6 organic Tofu 4 oz 0.7-6.6 Quinoa, cooked 1 cup 6.3 Kidney beans, cooked 1 cup 5.2 Chickpeas, cooked 1 cup 4.7 Lima beans, cooked 1 cup 4.5 Pinto beans, cooked 1 cup 4.5 Black-eyed peas, cooked 1 cup 4.3 Swiss chard, cooked 1 cup 4.0 organic Tempeh 1 cup 3.8 Black beans, cooked 1 cup 3.6 Turnip greens, cooked 1 cup 3.2 Prune juice 8 oz 3.0 Spinach, cooked 1 cup 2.9 Beet greens, cooked 1 cup 2.7 Tahini 2 Tbsp 2.6 organic Raisins 1/2 cup 2.2 Cashews 1/4 cup 2.0 Figs, dried 5 medium 2.0 Seitan 4 oz 2.0 Bok choy, cooked 1 cup 1.8 Bulgur, cooked 1 cup 1.7 Apricots, dried 10 halves 1.6 organic Tomato juice 8 oz 1.4 Almonds 1/4 cup 1.3 Peas, cooked 1 cup 1.3 Green beans, cooked 1 cup 1.2 Kale, cooked 1 cup 1.2 Sesame seeds 2 Tbsp 1.2 Sunflower seeds 1/4 cup 1.2 Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 1.1 Brussels sprouts,cooked 1 cup 1.1 Millet, cooked 1 cup 1.0 Prunes 5 medium 1.0 Watermelon 1/8 medium 1.0 [sources: USDA Nutrient Data Base for Standard Reference, Release 12,1998. Manufacturer's information. The RDA for iron is 10 mg/day for adult men and for post-menopausal women and 15 mg/day for pre-menopausal women.] Comparison of Iron Sources- FOOD IRON (mg/100 calories)- Spinach, cooked 5.4 Collard greens, cooked 3.1 Lentils, cooked 2.9 Broccoli, cooked 2.1 Chickpeas, cooked 1.7 Figs, dried 0.8 Flounder, baked 0.3 ------------------------------ Not Getting Enough Iron Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutrient deficiency in this country. It is estimated to affect about ten percent of the population. Pregnant women, women of childbearing age, teenage girls, and infants are at highest risk of not getting enough iron. It can lead to anemia, fatigue, irritability, headaches, and lack of energy. To prevent iron deficiency, every effort should be made to maximize iron from food sources. A good diet will safely help decrease the riskof inadequate iron and at the same time cause the least potential damage to those at risk for iron excess. A well planned vegetarian diet provides adequate iron. Boosting Iron Absorption Eating a varied diet with emphasis on iron-rich foods is a good start to getting enough iron. Dried beans, dark green leafy vegetables, organic blackstrap molasses, bulgur, and prune juice are good vegetarian sources of iron. Supplements vs. Food- Iron supplements can do more harm than good. Iron supplements should be taken only on the advice of a physician in cases where iron deficiency or an increased need for iron has been diagnosed. During pregnancy low-dose iron supplements are commonly recommended because it is difficult to meet iron needs through diet alone. . The golden rule, still, is that it is best to get the nutrients your body needs, including iron, from the food you eat. A well planned diet can provide adequate iron, minimizing the risk of iron deficiency. SOURCES OF IRON - FOOD PORTION SIZE IRON (mg)- beet greens, cooked 1/2 cup 1.4 bulgur, cooked 1 cup 1.8 organic blackstrap molasses 1 Tablespoon 3.5 figs, dried 5 2.1 kidney beans, cooked 1 cup 5.2 lentils, cooked 1 cup 6.6 lima beans, cooked 1 cup 4.5 prune juice 8 ounces 3.0 spinach, cooked 1/2 cup 3.2 Swiss chard, cooked 1/2 cup 2.0 JoAnn Guest mrsjo- DietaryTi- http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Magnesium.html AIM Barleygreen " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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