Which high-iron foods do you need in your diet, whether on a vegan or traditional diet, to prevent iron deficiency? Our article reveals!
Trace elements are minerals that are present in our body in minimal amounts (traces), but are essential for the proper growth, development and functioning of our body. Iron is also an essential trace element , which, among other things, is necessary for energy production, immune protection, red blood cell formation, oxygen transport and brain function. Deficiency disease : it can affect 60-80% of our country’s population. In our article, you can learn everything about the vital role of iron, the most typical symptoms of iron deficiency, and the best methods of iron supplementation (iron-containing foods, dietary supplements). Read it and send it to others!
Why is it important to get the right amount of iron?
Iron is a vital trace element for every cell in our body. Since our body cannot produce it, we must ensure its daily intake through nutrition and supplements. The good news is that there are many foods with a high iron content, and dietary supplements can also help a lot in replacing well-utilized iron.
In what physiological processes does iron play a role?
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- Oxygen delivery
- Energy production Muscle function
- Mental functioning
- Immune function
How much iron does the body need per day?
The daily iron requirement depends on many factors: age, gender, physical activity, health status . Women of childbearing age need more iron, as they lose blood every month during menstruation. The body’s need for iron also increases during pregnancy, breastfeeding, intensive sports, malabsorption and smoking.
| Age/living situation | Recommended daily iron intake |
|---|---|
| 0-6 months | 0.2 mg |
| 7-12 months | 11 mg |
| 1-3 years | 9 mg |
| 4-8 years | 10 mg |
| 9-13 years | 8 mg |
| Boys between the ages of 14-18 | 11 mg |
| Girls aged 14-18 | 15 mg |
| Men over 19 years old | 8 mg |
| Women aged 19-50 | 18 mg |
| Women over 51 | 8 mg |
| Pregnant women | 27 mg |
| Breastfeeding teenagers | 10 mg |
| Lactating women | 9 mg |
Iron-containing foods: what is the difference between animal and vegetable iron?
Iron occurs in two forms in our food: heme iron is found in foods of animal origin (e.g. red meat, poultry, fish), while non-heme iron is found in foods of vegetable origin (e.g. legumes, cereals, oil seeds) . 15-35% of the former and 2-20% of the latter are absorbed in our body, however, many factors affect these values.
What helps and what hinders the absorption of iron?
The absorption of iron can be increased in several ways:
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- Vitamin C. 100-500 mg of vitamin C can increase the absorption of iron 3-6 times (if taken at the same time as iron).
- Vitamin A and beta-carotene. Based on research, vitamin A can increase the absorption of iron by up to two times and beta-carotene up to 3 times. Good sources are carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, peppers, oranges, apricots.
- Meat, fish and poultry. Heme iron enhances the absorption of plant-derived non-heme iron.
- Heat treatment. Heat treatment increases the amount of iron available from plant foods
The absorption of iron can be hindered by several substances:
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- Polyphenols. Coffee, tea and cocoa also contain large amounts of these substances, which can reduce the absorption of non-heme iron by 60-90%.
- Phyta. It is found in whole grains, legumes, and oil seeds and can significantly reduce iron absorption, even in small amounts.
- Calcium. The only dietary factor that inhibits the absorption of both heme iron and non-heme iron. 165 mg of calcium can reduce iron absorption by 50-60%.
- Fosvitin . A protein compound found in eggs. A boiled egg can reduce iron absorption by up to 28%.
- Medicines. Medicines that bind and reduce stomach acid also inhibit the absorption of iron.
In order to ensure proper iron absorption, wait at least 2 hours between iron absorption inhibitors and iron intake.
What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?
In what cases can iron deficiency occur?
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- Iron-poor diet. We must ensure the daily iron requirement through nutrition, but iron (especially of plant origin) has a low absorption rate. One-sided diets, dieting, vegetarian or vegan diets , or eating disorders can cause iron deficiency.
- Body changes. The body needs increased iron intake and increased red blood cell production when it undergoes changes, for example: intensive growth during childhood and adolescence or periods of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Malabsorption is common after gastric and intestinal surgeries. Iron is absorbed in the small intestine. Problems affecting the alimentary canal, surgeries or medications that reduce the production of stomach acid can all lead to iron deficiency.
- Blood loss. Significant blood loss depletes iron stores, which can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. This includes gastrointestinal bleeding (e.g. ulcer), menstrual bleeding in women, or any injury.
The risk of iron deficiency is also increased in case of intense sports, stress, regular blood donation, smoking, taking blood thinners, chronic disease (e.g. tumor, heart failure, kidney disease).
What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?
If you don’t take in enough iron, iron stores are first depleted, then iron deficiency develops, and finally iron deficiency anemia occurs.
You may suspect iron deficiency from these symptoms:
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- frequent severe fatigue, exhaustion
- shortness of breath, even with light movement
- rapid heartbeat
- frequent headaches, dizziness
- pale skin, pale gums
- dry split hair, cracked skin
We wrote more about symptoms and iron deficiency in this article .
How can iron deficiency be treated?
Treatment for iron deficiency depends on many factors, such as age, health status, severity and cause of iron deficiency, tolerance to different treatments, and individual preference. The most important thing is always to find out the root cause: the problem of autoimmune origin can be diagnosed with a blood test, the bleeding with a gastroscopy or colonoscopy.
Iron-deficiency anemia can be treated by eating iron-rich foods, taking dietary supplements or prescription medications, intravenous iron supplementation, and red blood cell transfusions. The treating physician always decides on the appropriate treatment method .
Foods with a high iron content: choose these
What animal sources of iron are there
Liver is one of the best sources of iron , 100 grams of pork liver provides 16 mg of iron, but goose liver and chicken liver are also great choices, they contain 7.6 and 6.5 mg of iron. In the case of calf and beef liver, 100 grams provide 5.5 mg of iron.
Lamb (10.5 mg), veal (3 mg), beef (2 mg), sardines (2.6 mg), turkey (1.5 mg) and shellfish (10 mg) are also good animal sources of iron .