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| Iron is a mineral that your body
needs to stay healthy. Your body contains less than a teaspoon of iron. However,
maintaining that small amount seems to be a problem for many Canadians. Iron is essential
for keeping the body functioning at its best. Iron is needed to form hemoglobin, a
component of red blood cells. Hemoglobin’s role is to pick up oxygen breathed into
the lungs and carry it through the blood stream to every cell in the body. In each cell,
oxygen is used to release maximum energy from the food you eat – energy to breathe,
grow, move, and make the heart beat and keep warm. That’s how iron works for you. |
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| Without enough iron, the body cannot
produce normal amounts of hemoglobin and, as a result, the blood transports less oxygen.
With less oxygen reaching the cells, including muscle cells, you become weakened and
tired. This condition is iron deficiency anemia. Poor food habits are not the only cause
of iron deficiency anemia, but frequently the problem is nutrition-related. If the foods
you eat do not provide your body with enough iron, anemia may develop. Most often, iron
deficiency anemia develops slowly, so that you feel no sudden change in your vitality
level. Other times certain stresses such as pregnancy, or unusually large or prolonged
blood loss may cause anemia to develop more quickly. |
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Not many foods are
rich enough in iron to provide all your iron needs. Instead, smaller amounts of iron must
be obtained from several different foods. |
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Too little iron in the body can lead
to iron deficiency anemia. When iron levels are low, much less energy is produced in your
cells. Lack of energy and iron causes a short attention span, fatigue, poor appetite,
weight loss, pale appearance and irritability. In children, low iron levels can result in
lower learning ability and depressed growth. |
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Low iron intake is a common
nutritional problem for many women and children in Canada. Children and pregnant women
especially, need iron to promote the growth of new body tissue. Teenage girls and women
need more iron than men do, in order to replace the iron that is lost through
menstruation. A very few people actually suffer from too much iron in their diet, usually
due to an inherited genetic abnormality. However, don’t reduce iron intake without
checking with your doctor or registered dietitian. |
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Age |
Amount
(mg) |
Youth |
1 – 3 |
6 |
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4 – 12 |
8 |
Males |
13 – 18 |
10 |
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19+ |
8 |
Females |
13 – 49 |
14 |
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50+ |
7 |
Pregnant
Females |
Second Trimester |
18 |
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Third Trimester |
23 |
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People who eat no meat, fish or
poultry may need more iron than indicated below, due to the lower availability of iron
from plant foods and eggs. |
| If you're healthy, follow Canada's
Food Guide and include some high iron choices in your diet everyday, you're not likely to
need an iron supplement. Sensible eating is the key to getting enough iron, as it is to
getting all the other nutrients you need as well. If you
suspect that you may need to increase your iron intake, begin now to include more of these
foods in your diet. You can also consult your doctor who may conduct tests to see if you
have an iron shortage. Your doctor may recommend an iron supplement, but in the meantime
you can help yourself by increasing the high iron content foods in your diet. |
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Heme
Iron |
Non-Heme
Iron |
· More readily absorbed by the body
(approximately 23% of consumed iron is absorbed)
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· Absorbed less than heme iron
(approximately 3-8% of consumed iron is absorbed)
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· Absorption is not affected by other
foods in the diet
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· Absorption can be increased or
decreased by other types of foods in the diet
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· Is only found in red meat, fish, and
poultry
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· Is found in vegetables, fruits,
grains, and eggs
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· Important sources of heme iron:
· Organ meats (liver, kidney)
· Beef
· Liverwurst
· Braunschweiger sausage
· Some shellfish (clams, oysters,
and scallops)
· Turkey (dark meat only)
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· Important sources of non-heme iron:
· Dried fruits
(raisins,apricots)
· Whole grain cereals
· Enriched cereals and pasta
· Dark green, leafy vegetables
(spinach, chard, kale)
· Legumes (lentils, dried peas or
beans)
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Recommended daily level of iron
intake is based on the iron content of foods, but it is important to remember that some
sources are better absorbed than others. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron from
cereal and vegetable products. Furthermore, a diet, which contains meat, fish, or poultry,
enhances the absorption by the body of iron in other foods. The body absorbs more iron
when there is a greater need for iron. If body stores of iron are low, the body adapts to
absorb more iron from the diet. For example, absorption is more efficient in people who
are anemic. |
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Heme
Iron Sources |
Iron
Content mg |
Iron
Absorbed mg |
Beef liver, pan fried
(90g) |
5.7 |
0.64 |
Sirloin steak, broiled
(90g) |
2.8 |
0.42 |
Lamb chop, broiled (90g) |
1.8 |
0.27 |
Pork tenderloin, roasted
(90g) |
1.4 |
0.16 |
Veal loin, roasted (90g) |
0.8 |
0.11 |
Chicken breast, roasted
(90g) |
0.9 |
0.13 |
Sole, baked (90g) |
0.4 |
0.04 |
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Non-heme
Iron Sources |
|
|
Bran flakes (175ml) |
4.7 |
0.23 |
Kidney beans, canned
(125ml) |
2.3 |
0.12 |
Tofu (90g) |
1.7 |
0.09 |
Enriched pasta (125ml) |
1.1 |
0.06 |
Spinach, raw (125ml) |
0.8 |
0.04 |
Whole wheat bread (1
slice) |
0.8 |
0.04 |
Raisins (30 ml) |
0.4 |
0.02 |
Choose foods with
higher iron content from each food group. |
| Iron is usually found in more
colourful foods, such as red meats, dark green vegetables, and the browns of whole grains.
When reading nutrition labels, remember that they may state the iron content of a food,
but not the amount of iron actually absorbed by your body. |
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Include iron
enhancers in your diet. |
| Eat iron enhancers with your meals
to increase the amount of non-heme iron absorbed by the body. Iron enhancers include:
meat, poultry, fish, and foods rich in vitamin C (oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, and
cantaloupe). |
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Beware of iron
inhibitors. |
| Some foods contain iron inhibitors,
which decrease iron absorption. Oxalates in spinach and phytates in whole grains inhibit
the absorption of iron from these foods. Other examples of common foods that contain
inhibitors are: tea, coffee, bran, and legumes (soybeans, split peas, dried beans, and
lentils). A high fibre intake in general may act as an iron inhibitor. To help your body
absorb more iron, eat foods that contain heme iron and/or vitamin C when you eat foods
that act as iron inhibitors. |
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|
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| Grapefruit + Whole
wheat toast
Chicken + Brown rice
Orange juice + Oatmeal
Beef sirloin strips + Spinach salad
Kiwi + Egg sandwich |
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Experiment with different ways of cooking them as tasty
main courses. Add them to family favorites such as meatloaf or stew.
Serve pate as an appetizer or snack on whole grain crackers
or toast, or for lunch on a bagel, bun or bread |
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Add them to soups and casseroles and use in baked beans and chili. |
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Sprinkle over cereals. Add to muffins and homemade breads.
Shake onto salads and cooked vegetables for added crunch. |
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Delicious with a salad or as a snack on whole grain crackers or toast. |
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Add to muffins or baked beans in place of sugar |
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Use in eggnog, as a main dish or garnish, or hard-boiled as a snack. |
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Use to thicken soups and stews |
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Sprinkle on cereals. Add to favorite desserts and breads. |
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Good to drink. Use in cooking too. |
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Make your own with whole grain and enriched cereals, dried fruit,
wheat germ, molasses, and nuts. |
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