Iron is an essential mineral that every living organism needs in the proper amount in order to function properly .
Despite iron being available widely all around us it can’t be readily utilized by organisms as it easily gets oxidized to the insoluble form that organisms can’t process in their systems so in order to be able to utilize iron, your body has to be able to reduce iron from the insoluble ferric state (fe+3) to the soluble ferrous state (fe+2) that your body can deal with and the human gastric acidity is the main reducing agent in our bodies .
When you consume foods that contain iron you absorb the iron through the enterocytes of your jejunum and duodenum only a small fraction is absorbed about 5_35% depending on the type of food you’ve had then it gets transported to your blood by a transporter called (transferrin) it sends it to the bone marrow where cells are responsible for erythropoiesis turn it into heme and binds it to a globulin protein forming the oxygen carrying molecule hemoglobin .
Iron should be present at a certain limit in your plasma as too much iron can lead to serious oxidative damage so your liver produces the hormone hepcidin to regulate the amount of iron present in your serum by decreasing the rate of iron absorption from your intestine as there is no means for excreting iron from your body .
Excess iron is stored in your body in two forms ferritin and hemosiderin mainly in your liver, spleen and bone marrow hemosiderin releases iron slowly so the best marker used for estimating the amount of stored iron is ferritin levels in your serum.
Since iron is very important it is critically conserved the most common cause for iron deficiency anemia is blood loss that includes :
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- Hemorrhage
- heavy menstrual cycles that’s why mostly women suffer from iron deficiency anemia
- serious blood diseases causing hemolysis
- pathological infections like hook worms causing Gastrointestinal bleeding
- The second most common cause is the low consumption in times of increased requirements like in pregnancy or during growth spurts that’s why mostly adolescent girls and pregnant women suffer from iron deficiency anemia
- another cause is defective iron absorption like in celiac disease or after a recent gastrointestinal surgery
So when your iron stores (ferritin) become depleted (<12 ng/mL) that leads to lower hemoglobin levels in your blood (<12g/dL for females and <13g/dl for men ) and it makes your RBCs shrink lowering your mcv (<80fl) and lowers the total amount of RBCs in your blood lowering your hematocrit (<40%)then your body starts to develop symptoms of anemia as general fatigue , weakness, dizziness, pale skin cold extremities , brittle hair and nails ,pica which is abnormal cravings like to dirt and soil and it can lead to complications like depression and heart disease it is especially serious in pregnancy as it can lead to delayed cognitive development in the fetus and lower birth weights and increases the risk of postpartum bleeding .
So in order to prevent that very common disease one should try to prevent it if you have any of the risk factors contributing to lowering iron levels in your body you need to take iron supplements for 3 to 6 month to replenish your iron stores maybe even receive blood transfusions in severe cases and definitely increase the amount of foods with iron in your diet and add to it foods rich in vitamin c since it aids in the absorption of iron through the gut and avoid drinking too much black tea and coffee as it contains tannin that lowers your iron absorption.
Daily requirements of iron are (8 mg for men and postmenopausal women and 18 mg for women in the reproductive years 27 mg for pregnant women ) it’s not safe to consume iron in levels of 40_45mg in a day so as not to suffer from iron overload and toxicity that can be fatal.
There are many great foods rich in iron you can add to your diet to have the benefits of the important mineral and if it is plant source of iron (non heme iron) it is best to have with it a source of vitamin c like tomatoes and citrus as it helps in its reduction to the soluble form for easier absorption and better utilization in the body.
» Now, we will focus on foods rich in iron «
1. Liver
Liver is one of the greatest sources of heme iron and not only the liver but every organ meat like kidney and heart are full of iron and extremely nutritious .liver contains 6.5 mg of iron in 100 grams equal to 36% of your daily recommendations another great benefit of liver is that it is one of the richest food of vitamin A with 860_1,100% of RDI and vitamin B12 with 3,460% of RDI as well as copper and choline and a great source of protein with fewer calories than red meat despite it’s great value it is best to avoid excessive consumption of liver during pregnancy as there is the risk of getting toxoplasmosis if you eat it undercooked or from an unknown source that can lead to miscarriage or serious congenital anomalies and the excess vitamin A intake can be teratogenic it is also best if people with gout refrain from eating too much liver as it contains purines which form uric acid and can cause exacerbation of your symptoms.
2. Shellfish
There are plenty of options when it comes to seafood rich in nutrients but when it comes to iron oysters are the best source of iron from the sea with 7 mg of iron in 100 gm serving equal to 38% of your daily recommendations it is also full of cobalamin and magnesium and vitamin B12 . Other great seafood choices are clams and mussels with a decent amount of iron and nutrients in them. You shouldn’t worry too much about the mercury content in shellfish as it isn’t that high to cause serious body harm but it’s best to have shellfish cooked to kill any bacteria inside.
3. Dark chocolate
If you like your chocolate desserts it is wise to consider switching from milk chocolate to dark chocolate for it is far superior when it comes to nutritional value with 3.4 mg of iron in 28 gram serving equal to 19 % of your daily recommendations it is also a great source of copper and manganese and it is full of fibers and antioxidants it also stimulates your body to produce more nitric oxide which is great form dilating your blood vessels and lowering blood pressure it is also very low in sugar content which is great if you are on a diet or diabetic as you can enjoy the taste with less harm so next time you want to make a tasty and healthy chocolate cake substitute milk chocolate for dark chocolate with 70% cocoa or more to get a more rich flavor and way more benefits.
4. Legumes
Beans and chickpeas are the power source for most vegetarian diets they are the main source of protein but also a great source of iron with 6.6 mg in 198grams of cooked lentils equal to 37% of your daily recommendations but the amount differs with the different types of beans. they’re all a great source of folate ,magnesium and potassium and full of fiber to give you early satiety and reduce your food intake so they are great for people on diets and can be integrated into your meals in various delicious and colorful ways.
5. Spinach
Spinach is the great leafy green vegetable that are what we think of when we talk about iron with 2.7 mg in 100 gram portion equal to 15% of your daily recommendations and a fascinating source of vitamins A and C making it a powerful antioxidant and folate great for pregnant women .spinach also contains a compound called lutein that is great for your eye health reducing damage from sunlight and helpful in preventing cataracts and macular degeneration but it should be eaten in moderation for people with kidney disease as it is rich in oxalates that may form stones and also in people with coagulation disorders as it is also rich in vitamin k an important blood clotting factor.
6. Pumpkin seeds
It is one of the best salty snacks anyone could choose. it is considered a super food with the great amount of protein it contains not only that it is also a great source of iron with 2.5 mg of it in 28 gram serving which is equal to 14 % of your daily recommendations it is a great source of magnesium, vitamin k and omega 3 fatty acids so it is good for the heart and it is known to be of benefit in diabetes and depression.
7. Red meat
Red meat is best known for it’s great content of proteins, vitamins and fat it is as well a great source of iron with mostly heme iron that can be absorbed easily there is a good 2.7 mg of iron in 100 grams of red meat that is equal to 15% of your daily recommendations . So if you are regularly going to the gym and eating meat to build up your muscles you don’t have to worry about anemia as the iron content in the meat has got you covered even better than iron supplements.
8. Raisin
Dried fruits are a great source of nutrients and fibers and being shrunken up you can consume large quantities that will provide you with heaping amounts of nutrients and antioxidants when it comes to iron the best dried fruit to consider are raisins they contain 1.3 mg of iron in 100 grams serving which is equal to 7% of your daily recommendations they are also full of potassium and have medium glycemic index so make sure to pop some up into your cup of yogurt or in your granola bars as they are truly good for you but of course in moderation.
9. Molasses
It is one of the most beneficial sweeteners you can add to your diet regularly it is a great source of iron with 4.7 mg in 100 grams equal to 26% of your daily recommendations it is as well one of the best sources of potassium , magnesium and some calcium which are great for your bone to prevent osteoporosis and a spoon a day can help you avoid getting anemia you can use it as a sweetener instead of white sugar as it is way more beneficial.
10. Fortified breakfast cereals
The best thing about cereal in the morning is the fact that it is full of fiber to fill your stomach and make your bowel movement smooth but since it is widely preferred factories started fortifying them with iron to make them even healthier one of the best cereals rice krispies has alone 8 mg of iron in 100 gram serving equal to 57% of your daily recommendations it is also fortified with vitamin D to give you stronger bones and many other good choices like corn flakes and quick quacker oats so next time you’re in that aisle section make sure you pick the one that says fortified with iron on the label.
11. Quinoa
Quinoa is one of the best high protein grains that can be used instead of rice is a great source of iron containing 2.8 mg in 185 gram serving which is equal to 16% of your daily recommendations it is also full of folate ,manganese and full packed with protein with all essential amino acids it is also gluten free so it is a great option for those with celiac disease and it is full of antioxidants called flavonoids that are potent anti inflammatory substances and it has a low glycemic index so it is great for people with diabetes and it is very easy to prepare and integrate into your diet.
12. Canned fish
Canned sardines and tuna are not very popular food choices as they are usually stored in oil but canned sardines in particular are full of iron with 2.3 mg in 100 gram serving equal to 29% of your daily recommendations they are full of omega 3 and vitamins D and B 12 and the best quality is that it feeds only on plankton so it has lower mercury content than other types of big fish you can add it to your diet on some pasta or with a bowl of salad for that extra saltiness.