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Iron is our bodys' most abundant mineral and it is found in a variety of foods. Red meats provide the most iron per serving and legumes like chickpeas also have good iron per serving.
Adults should consume 20mg daily and older adults about 10mg. Men tend to have more iron than women mostly due to eating habits.
Iron is used in our body to transport hemoglobin. The body can moderate iron so it usually is rare to have toxicity from food consumption.
Iron supplements are best taken with vitamin C. Minerals like calcium and zinc should not be eaten at the same time; as this reduces the amount of iron your body can digest.
Toxicity is possible with supplements along with unwanted side effects like diarrhea and abdominal cramping. If using supplements it is recommended to take only RDA.
Like most minerals; the amount your body actually uses is optimal from foods than supplements.
Heme vs NonHeme food type:
With heme type of iron (animal foods)
15 - 35% of iron gets absorbed into body; whereas with nonheme (plant based foods) 2 - 20% is absorbed. This is why vegetarians must eat additional iron rich foods to meet the recommended daily amounts.
Food With Iron:
Foods to eat include:
Shellfish
3oz oysters 8mg 42% DV,
3oz mussels 32% DV,
3oz scallops 14% DV.
FISH
salmon (and omega 3), buy wild salmon where available.
BEANS
soybeans per 1 cup, 49% DV
lentils per 1 cup, 37% DV
chick peas per 1 cup, 26% DV
black beans per 1 cup, 20% DV
pumpkin seeds (and they contain omega3)
VEGETABLES
spinach (and good magnesium),
cooked 1 cup, 6mg 36% DV
brocolli (and rich in phytonutrients),
BEEF
lean beef, (and has zinc)
6 oz steak, 9mg
3 oz beef liver, 28% DV
3 oz ground beef, 14% DV
3 oz beef ribs, 11% DV
turkey breast
egg yolks
CHOCOLATE
dark semi sweet chocolate,
1 oz 28% DV
4 squares of 3.5oz 80% dark chocolate bar(8squares per bar),has 33% DV
1 cup cocoa, 66% DV
Foods With Highest Iron Per Serving
Whole wheat breads, cereals, and pastas,
Cream of Wheat,
Bran flakes,
Quinoa,
Oatmeal,
Avocado,
Cooked spinach,
Cooked mushrooms,
Baked potato,
Legumes,
Soybeans,
Tofu,
Lentils.
Foods To Eat/Drink With Iron For Best Bioavailability
Citrus fruits,
Chard,
Broccoli,
Tomatoes,
Red or green bell pepper,
Kiwi,
Grapefruit juice,
Orange juice,
Strawberries,
Cantaloupe,
vitamin C supplement.
Foods Not To Eat/Drink: Can Reduce Amount of Iron The Body Absorbs
Coffee,
Tea (even decaffeinated),
Dairy products,
Foods high in dietary fiber,
Wine,
Beer,
Soda,
Antacids,
Calcium supplements.
The less iron you have the more your body will absorb, boosting the bioavailability of iron from plant and animal sources. Vitamin C found in plant foods also boosts iron absorption.
Iron tablets can affect some medications, including tetracycline, penicillin, ciprofloxacin, and drugs used for hypothyroidism, Parkinson disease, and seizures.
Medicines that reduce stomach acid can also reduce iron absorption.
Wait at least 2 hours between doses of these drugs and iron supplements.
The body stores iron in bone marrow, spleen, and liver. When these get low because of inadequate diet or health condition, it takes two to three months of iron therapy to replenish this mineral.
Consuming only 100 mg of vitamin C may improve iron absorption by 67%.
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Vitamins and Minerals
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