Iron

[TeensyTiff]

Does anyone know what foods are a good source of iron? I don't think I get enough in my diet and I know it's important for being healthy. In addition to foods that are high in iron, does anyone know how much iron we're supposed to get in a day?

[Firefly77]

I think spinach is a good source of iron.

[MeSarah]

While spinach is a good source of iron, it is important to know that there are two main types of dietary iron - heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron comes from hemoglobin so it is usually found in foods that naturally contain hemoglobin like poultry, red meat and fish. These are often the best sources of iron because your body absorbs heme iron best. Examples of good sources of heme iron include: clams, mussels, oysters, sardines, salmon, tuna, halibut, haddock, chicken, turkey, ham, veal, and beef. As for non-heme iron sources, these include: cooked beans, tofu, broccoli, baked potato, spinach, green pepper, cooked pasta, rice, bread, bran muffins, peanuts, sunflower seeds, roasted almonds, pistachios, roasted cashews, to name some.

[PennyThoughts]

Kale is a good source of iron. Just buy organic (same goes for spinach!)

[brightstar]

While spinach is a good source of iron, it is important to know that there are two main types of dietary iron - heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron comes from hemoglobin so it is usually found in foods that naturally contain hemoglobin like poultry, red meat and fish. These are often the best sources of iron because your body absorbs heme iron best. Examples of good sources of heme iron include: clams, mussels, oysters, sardines, salmon, tuna, halibut, haddock, chicken, turkey, ham, veal, and beef. As for non-heme iron sources, these include: cooked beans, tofu, broccoli, baked potato, spinach, green pepper, cooked pasta, rice, bread, bran muffins, peanuts, sunflower seeds, roasted almonds, pistachios, roasted cashews, to name some.

That's a great list, MeSarah! Thank you for sharing this!

[M-Stark334]

That is a great list, thanks MeSarah! I'm constantly struggling to make sure I'm getting enough Iron.

[Charlotte]

I know this is going to sound like a dumb question but why is iron so important? And how much do you actually need?

[Speeddemon]

I know this is going to sound like a dumb question but why is iron so important? And how much do you actually need?

Charlotte, Iron is an essential nutrient. You actually need it to live. So…yes, it’s really important. It exists in your blood and is part of the enzymes and proteins in hemoglobin and myoglobin, both carry oxygen in the blood. Iron is also important to your muscles and helps in cell growth. If you do not consume enough iron your body will take the iron it needs from what is stored in your body. The average adult woman (19- 50) needs about 18 mg of iron per day the average adult male in the same age range requires 8mg. The amount of iron you require throughout your lifetime will change and keep in mind pregnant women need a lot more than anyone else.

[enviroTodd]

What an intelligent statement, Speeddemon. I'm as shocked as everyone else must be

What should also be noted is that as much as you nee to obtain a certain amount per day, it is also very important not to have too much of it. Some people try to supplement iron without knowing how much they are actually getting through their food and that could actually be very dangerous to their health. The toxicity level in iron is very close to the healthy level, so it doesn't take very much to cross the line. It isn't a good idea to take iron supplements unless you have spoken to a doctor first.

While iron is a vital nutrient and you do need it to live, just because you didn't get enough one day, it doesn't mean that you're headed toward a deficiency. Iron is one of the minerals that the body is actually capable of storing. So if you ate a healthy amount of it one day but your body didn't actually need to use it all up, then it will store it away until you happen to need it the next time, because you didn't manage to eat enough of it on a certain day.

If you're worried that you are anemic (that is, that you have too little iron) talk to your doctor and have a blood test done. That way, you will be able to know for sure and lower your risk of overdosing on it.

It should also be noted that children can overdose on iron extremely easily on supplements. Unless a doctor advises it, children should never take iron supplements. In fact, a package of adult multivitamins has enough iron in it to cause serious health damage to a child.

[TeensyTiff]

Wow! Thanks for all the great responses. I've learned a lot. It's nice to see that this forum is full of smart people

[Charlotte]

Wow...I feel like I have now been well informed. Thanks Speeddemon and enviroTodd. You guys really know your stuff when it comes to Iron. I could have used you both when I took science in school LOL.

[Speeddemon]

eT - I do like to shock people from time to time. I try to keep my intelligent statements to a minimum so as not to leave too many people feeling inferior to my mind-blowing intellect.

[Bethie]

You are really smart, Speeddemon You know a lot of stuff and you share it in a way that everybody can understand it so that we don't have to feel stupid or look it up.

[Speeddemon]

Thanks Bethie. I think whenever I have a self-confidence issue I'll talk to you. You sure know how to make a guy feel good.

[Bethie]

Aw that's really great Speeddemon. This is a really supportive forum, I find. We all give our opinions if something is good or bad, but when it's bad, its' not against hte person, it's just the topic, that's all. Since I read this post about Iron, I started getting kale and eating that more. I don't like it when it's raw, but I just cook it up with the rest of my veggies and it's easy to eat a ton of it without really even noticing.