It is a paradox, but many women cannot lose weight precisely because of iron deficiency, since this trace element actively affects the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which is responsible for metabolism. As a result, the more you try to lose weight, the more you get better.
Iron is one of the trace elements that perform many important functions in our body. Both deficiency and excess negatively affect human health, but micronutrient deficiency is more common.
Why does the body need iron
The main role of iron in the body is determined by the fact that it is responsible for the level of hemoglobin in the blood, and is also part of hundreds of enzymes, thereby performing many important functions. The main one is the transportation of oxygen to all cells, tissues and organs.
The role of iron in the body:
delivery of oxygen to all cells and organs;
responsible for the process of hematopoiesis;
responsible for the production of DNA;
participation in the life of every cell of the body;
provides energy metabolism;
supports the body's immune system;
participates in redox reactions;
provides growth of the body, the formation of nerve fibers.
And this is not all that iron is responsible for. It is especially important to take it during pregnancy, since during this period a woman experiences an acute deficiency of the element, which can ultimately lead to serious consequences.
The body's daily need for iron
A healthy person has 3-4 milligrams of iron in the body, the main supply of the trace element is in the blood (2/3), the rest is found in the liver, spleen and bones. But every day, the level of iron in the body naturally decreases (exfoliation of the skin, sweating, blood loss during the menstrual cycle). As a result, in order to function properly, our body needs a daily replenishment of its iron stores with the help of products in the amount of 10 to 30 mg.
daily requirement:
a woman needs 18-20 mg per day;
adult male - 8 mg;
children under 13 years old - 7-10 mg;
adolescents - 10 mg for boys and 15 mg for girls;
pregnant women - at least 30 mg per day.
If there is no timely replenishment of the daily need for iron, the body begins to suffer. For example, if your hair and skin quality has deteriorated, you should not immediately attribute it to age and buy an expensive cream in double quantities. It is possible that your body simply depleted iron stores that need to be replenished.
Foods rich in iron
Iron can be of several types - heme and non-heme. The first is found in food of animal origin, the second - in plant products. The body absorbs iron of animal origin better - from 15 to 35%, for comparison - the plant form is absorbed in an amount of only 2 to 20%.
If you are a vegetarian or simply prefer to eat less meat, make sure that your diet contains enough foods with vitamin C, which significantly increase the absorption of iron.
List of foods high in iron:
meat and offal- beef, lamb, lean pork, turkey and chicken meat, any liver, and the darker the meat, the more iron it contains;
Fish and seafood- clams, oysters, mussels, sardines, shrimp, tuna, red and black caviar;
eggs- chicken, quail, ostrich - another product rich not only in iron, but also in magnesium, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids;
cereals and bread- buckwheat, oatmeal, barley groats, rye, wheat bran;
vegetables, herbs and legumes- spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, corn, asparagus, beans, beans, lentils, peas;
fruits and berries- pomegranate, plum, persimmon, apples, dogwood;
dried fruits- prunes, dried apricots, raisins, figs;
nuts and seeds- pistachios, cashews, almonds, peanuts, walnuts - all types of nuts, as well as seeds, contain a lot of iron.
When buying fruits and dried fruits, be careful - the more beautiful and cleaner the fruits look, the more likely they are to be processed. harmful substances to increase the shelf life.
Table of products containing iron
The table shows products of plant and animal origin that contain iron (data are given in mg per 100 g). As you can see, most of the trace element is found in pork and chicken liver, as well as in shellfish. Vegetable products, such as soybeans, lentils, wheat bran, are not much inferior in numbers. But remember that the absorption of the latter by the body is 2 times lower.
| The product's name | |
|---|---|
| pork liver | 20,2 |
| chicken liver | 17,5 |
| beef liver | 6,9 |
| beef heart | 4,8 |
| pork heart | 4,1 |
| beef meat | 3,6 |
| lamb meat | 3,1 |
| pork meat | 1,8 |
| chicken's meat | 1,6 |
| turkey meat | 1,4 |
| oysters | 9,2 |
| mussels | 6,7 |
| sardines | 2,9 |
| black caviar | 2,4 |
| chicken yolk | 6,7 |
| quail yolk | 3,2 |
| beef tongue | 4,1 |
| pork tongue | 3,2 |
| tuna (canned) | 1,4 |
| sardines (canned) | 2,9 |
| The product's name | Iron content in mg per 100 g |
|---|---|
| wheat bran | 11,1 |
| buckwheat | 6,7 |
| oatmeal | 3,9 |
| Rye bread | 3,9 |
| soy | 9,7 |
| lentils | 11,8 |
| spinach | 2,7 |
| corn | 2,7 |
| peas | 1,5 |
| beet | 1,7 |
| peanut | 4,6 |
| pistachios | 3,9 |
| almond | 3,7 |
| Walnut | 2,9 |
| dogwood | 4,1 |
| persimmon | 2,5 |
| dried apricots | 3,2 |
| dried prunes | 3 |
| Garnet | 1 |
| apples | 0,1 |
The iron food table file can be downloaded for free from this link.
There is an opinion that apples and pomegranates are the ideal product for iron content. This is far from the case - the table shows that per 100 g of the product - iron in them is 0.1 and 1.0 mg, respectively.
What affects the absorption of iron
It seems that to make up for iron deficiency, it is enough to include foods containing this trace element in your diet. However, when combined with some types of foods containing calcium, tannin and polyphenols, they can interfere with the active absorption of iron.
Accordingly, dairy products rich in calcium not only do not contain iron, but can also prevent its active absorption. If you are a big fan of coffee and strong tea, it is recommended to refrain from these drinks immediately after eating, as caffeine also prevents the body from absorbing iron. The same applies to Coca-Cola - do not get carried away with this product, it is better to replace it with rosehip broth, dried fruit compote and other healthy drinks.
Vitamin C increases the absorption of vegetable iron by 2 times.
How to determine the lack of iron in the body
First of all, the lack of iron in the body is expressed in general weakness, increased fatigue, and decreased performance. The skin becomes pale, dry, rough, the hair literally “climbs”, the nails constantly split and break, and cracks appear in the corners of the mouth and on the heels.
Suffering from anemia can not only your appearance, but also internal organs. For example, upon careful examination of the gastrointestinal tract, it often turns out that the tissues are poorly supplied with blood and look pale, and this in turn affects the performance of vital organs.
Symptoms of iron deficiency in the body:
general weakness, increased fatigue;
constant dizziness;
shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat with little exertion;
numbness of the limbs;
sleep disturbance, insomnia;
frequent colds, infectious diseases;
problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
decreased appetite, difficulty swallowing food;
change in taste and smell in a specific direction (desire to eat chalk, raw cereals, addiction to the smell of acetone, paints, etc.);
problems with nails (they become brittle, exfoliate, spoon-shaped impressions appear);
problems with hair (they begin to fall out, become dry, brittle, early gray hair appears);
deterioration of the skin condition (becomes dry, pale and earthy, with multiple microcracks, seizures appear in the corners of the mouth.
Of course, for an accurate diagnosis, the first step is to take a general blood test in a medical laboratory.
The first sign of iron deficiency is a low hemoglobin level.:
below 130 g/l in men;
below 120 g/l in women.
Causes of high iron loss
The loss of iron in our body can occur for various reasons, and the main ones are starvation, strict diets, vegetarianism, blood loss associated with heavy periods. As a result, there is a possibility of developing anemia or anemia, as it is commonly called in medicine.
Anemia is a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which is often combined with a decrease in the number of red blood cells. It comes in light, medium and heavy.
According to statistics, from 800 million to 1 billion people on the planet suffer from such a disease. First of all, young middle-aged women, as well as adolescents, are prone to anemia. It is impossible to self-diagnose this disease, for this there are special laboratory tests. However, preliminary symptoms may signal that the hemoglobin level is outside the acceptable range.
If the hemoglobin level has not dropped below 100 g/l, the situation is not critical, but you should definitely contact Special attention to replenish your body's iron stores with iron-rich foods. At a level of 90 g / l and below, moderate and severe anemia occurs, in which case the doctor prescribes treatment.
If you have been diagnosed with anemia, then in addition to proper diet rich in iron, it is possible that you will need to take iron supplements. And, of course, do not forget about products containing iron, as the main source useful substances.
And forever forget about strict diets. Beauty, although it requires sacrifice, but if your own health is sacrificed, it's time to think about the consequences.
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common deficiency disease.
Children and women of childbearing age are most affected. This type of anemia develops due to a lack of iron in the diet, after serious blood loss, or as a result of vitamin C deficiency. Meanwhile, do not confuse iron deficiency anemia with megaloblastic anemia caused by insufficient intake of and.
The main task of iron in the body is to participate in the formation of hemoglobin, which concentrates about two-thirds of all Fe. Another quarter of the iron reserves are stored in ferritin and about 5 percent in the composition.
Benefits for the body
Iron obtained from food can provide a number of benefits to the human body. Given the special significance of Fe for humans, it is worth dwelling on its functions in more detail.
Hemoglobin formation
This ability is one of the main functions of the ferrum. A person throughout his life needs the continuous formation of hemoglobin, since blood loss as a result of even minor external or internal bleeding reduces its level. In particular, women experience significant blood loss every month, therefore they are more prone to anemia than men (especially with improper, unbalanced nutrition). In addition, it is this mineral that determines the color of blood, giving it a dark red hue, and also transports oxygen to all cells of the body.
For building muscle
In muscle tissues, iron plays the role of an oxygen supplier, without which the process of muscle contraction is impossible. The tone and elasticity of muscles depend on ferrum, and weakness is a typical symptom of iron deficiency.
For the brain
The ability to carry oxygen throughout the body makes iron an indispensable trace element for the full functioning of the brain. Fe-deficiency increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other diseases caused by brain disorders.
restless leg syndrome
Most researchers agree that the reason for the development of this sensorimotor disease is insufficient iron intake. Fe deficiency causes muscle spasms, which increase during periods of rest (sleep, sitting).
Maintaining a healthy body temperature
Interestingly, iron has the ability to regulate body temperature. And the adequacy of the flow of enzymatic and metabolic processes depends on its stability.
To keep you feeling well
Eliminates chronic fatigue in men and women, which is also a consequence of low hemoglobin.
Strengthening immunity
Ferrum plays a key role in the functioning of the immune system. An organism saturated with iron in sufficient quantities is able to more actively fight against infectious diseases. In addition, the speed of wound healing depends on iron.
healthy pregnancy
During pregnancy, the female body needs increased volumes of blood and red blood cells (to supply the growing fetus). Therefore, the "demand" for iron in pregnant women increases. Iron deficiency increases the risk of preterm birth, provokes underweight in the newborn and disorders in its development.
In addition, iron can influence energy metabolism, enzymatic activity, relieve insomnia, increase concentration.
Why is a deficit dangerous?
Acute anemia is usually the result of advanced iron deficiency.
The main symptoms of iron deficiency are:
- fast fatiguability;
- muscle weakness;
- excessive menstrual bleeding in women.
As already noted, women are more prone to developing iron deficiency. Almost 10 percent of the fairer sex of childbearing age suffer from a lack of this trace element. But in men (and in women after menopause), ferrum deficiency anemia is extremely rare. Children are also at risk for developing anemia.
Factors Contributing to the Development of Iron Deficiency
- Increased blood loss (including from donors) increases the body's need for iron.
- Strength training and endurance exercises require almost twice the daily rate of ferrum.
- Mental activity contributes to a more rapid expenditure of iron reserves.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis with low acidity, autoimmune bowel disease can cause poor iron absorption.
Combination with other nutrients
. Consumption of ascorbic acid along with iron-containing foods contributes to increased absorption of iron. For example, if you add half a grapefruit to the Fe diet, the body will absorb three times more iron. Therefore, it is important that the menu is enriched not only with iron, but also with vitamin C. However, it is worth paying attention: ascorbic acid has a stronger effect on the absorption of iron from plants than on the absorption of ferrum of animal origin.
Vitamin A. Retinol deficiency blocks the body's ability to use iron stores to form red blood cells.
Copper. This microelement, as you know, is necessary for the transport of nutrients from "storage" to cells and organs. With a lack of cuprum, iron loses its “mobility”, which as a result leads to the development of anemia. Would you like to restock ferrum at the same time? Beans, soybeans and lentils should regularly appear on your table.
It is also important to combine iron-rich foods with foods containing iron (thanks to ferrum, B-substances acquire increased “performance”).
Meanwhile, it is important to know that many food components can inhibit (weaken) the absorption of iron by binding it in the gastrointestinal tract. A number of such ingredients are found in whole grains and black tea. However, studies have shown that there is no harm to a healthy person from these substances. But in people with already existing violations of iron absorption or with advanced anemia, the absorption of nutrients worsens even more.
It is also important to know that calcium almost completely blocks the absorption of iron. Hence the recommendation: for the normal absorption of ferrum, iron-containing foods should be consumed separately from dairy foods and other calcium-rich foods.
The body's need for iron
The daily norm of iron for adults ranges from 10-30 mg.
Nutritionists call a serving of Fe at 45 mg an acceptable upper limit. Wherein daily rate slightly higher for women than for men. This is due to physiological processes: from 10 to 40 mg of iron are lost monthly with menstrual blood. With age, the needs of the female body in the ferrum are reduced.
In healthy people, iron overdose is almost never observed. People with hemochromatosis (a genetic disorder in which the percentage of iron absorption from food is 3-4 times higher than in healthy people) are at high risk of poisoning. Excessive accumulation of ferrum in the body can activate free radicals (damage the cells of the liver, heart, pancreas, increase the risk of cancer).
Products containing ferrum
There are two types of iron found in food: heme and non-heme. The first option is ferrum, which is part of hemoglobin. Its sources are all animal foods and seafood. Heme iron is absorbed faster and easier by the body. Non-heme iron is an element derived from plant foods. For the formation of hemoglobin, it is used only partially, and then only in combination with vitamin C.
To achieve maximum benefit, nutritionists recommend combining animal and plant products. In this way, it is easy to increase the absorption of ferrum (sometimes even by 400 percent).
Many people know that meat, especially red varieties, as well as offal, are the best sources of iron.
Meanwhile (and this may come as a surprise to many), plant foods are sometimes no worse. Ask an avid vegetarian to take a blood test, and most likely, his iron concentration will not deviate too much from that of meat eaters. True, for this it is important to eat the most different types vegetable food.
These studies partly destroy the theory that plants cannot provide humans with the necessary amount of iron. Many vegetarian foods contain iron above 10 percent of your daily value, and a serving or lentils will provide a third of your daily iron. In addition, plant foods contain fewer calories and fats, so they are ideal for people who follow their figure and health. But besides this, adherents of vegetarianism do not deny that the recommended daily intake of iron, obtained exclusively from plant foods, should be about one and a half times higher than that of meat-eaters.
Among plant foods, legumes and green leafy vegetables are the best sources of iron. Good nutritional properties and good reserves of ferrum are also whole grains. And the most unexpected source of iron for many is sugar cane molasses. Just 1 teaspoon of this product contains almost 1 milligram of iron. This indicator significantly exceeds the iron content among other sweeteners such as honey, wedge syrup, brown sugar.
In order to make it easier to understand which foods are the most saturated with iron, we offer a table of the most useful foods. Using this knowledge, it is easy to avoid iron deficiency anemia.
| The product's name | Quantity | Iron content (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| pork liver | 200 g | 61,4 |
| beef liver | 200 g | 14 |
| beef kidneys | 200 g | 14 |
| mussels | 200 g | 13,6 |
| oysters | 200 g | 12 |
| A heart | 200 g | 12,6 |
| Rabbit meat | 200 g | 9 |
| Turkey | 200 g | 8 |
| Mutton | 200 g | 6,2 |
| Hen | 200 g | 5 |
| Mackerel | 200 g | 5 |
| Ground beef (lean) | 200 g | 4 |
| Herring | 200 g | 2 |
| Chicken egg | 1 piece | 1 |
| Quail eggs | 1 piece | 0,32 |
| Black caviar | 10 g | 0,25 |
| The product's name | Quantity | Iron content (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| Peanut | 200 g | 120 |
| Soya | 200 g | 10,4 |
| Beans (lima) | 200 g | 8,89 |
| Potato | 200 g | 8,3 |
| White beans | 200 g | 6,93 |
| beans | 200 g | 6,61 |
| Lentils | 200 g | 6,59 |
| Spinach | 200 g | 6,43 |
| Beets (tops) | 200 g | 5,4 |
| Sesame | 0.25 cup | 5,24 |
| chickpeas | 200 g | 4,74 |
| Romaine lettuce | 200 g | 4,2 |
| Chard | 200 g | 3,96 |
| Asparagus | 200 g | 3,4 |
| Brussels sprouts | 200 g | 3,2 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 0.25 cup | 2,84 |
| Caraway | 2 tsp | 2,79 |
| Beet | 200 g | 2,68 |
| Turnip | 200 g | 2,3 |
| Leek | 200 g | 2,28 |
| White cabbage | 200 g | 2,2 |
| Green pea | 200 g | 2,12 |
| Broccoli | 200 g | 2,1 |
| Olives | 200 g | 2,1 |
| vegetable marrow | 200 g | 1,3 |
| Tomatoes | 200 g | 0,9 |
| Parsley | 10 g | 0,5 |
| Chilli | 10 mg | 1,14 |
| oregano | 2 tsp | 0,74 |
| Basil | 10 g | 0,31 |
| Black pepper | 2 tsp | 0,56 |
How to keep iron in food
Among the advantages of iron found in food of animal origin is high heat stability. But vegetable ferrum is not enthusiastic about mechanical processing or cooking. An example is whole grains, which lose almost three-quarters of their Fe reserves during processing into flour.
If we talk about cooking, then in this case the iron does not evaporate from the product - it partially passes into, in which the vegetable was cooked. It's also important to know a few tricks to help keep the iron in your meals.
- It is possible to minimize losses by reducing the cooking time and using as little water as possible. Example: Spinach cooked for 3 minutes in a large pot loses almost 90 percent of its iron.
- Cast iron cookware is able to saturate foods with additional iron. These portions can be quite small - from 1 to 2 milligrams, but the reality of such a process has already been proven. Moreover, experiments have shown that acidic products "absorb" ferrum from iron containers more intensively.
Iron absorption
But even if the product contains breathtaking reserves of iron, this does not mean that all this wealth will pass into the body. The absorption of ferrum from different foods occurs with a certain intensity. So, a person will “pull out” about 20 percent of the available iron from meat, a little more than 10 percent from fish. Beans will yield 7 percent, nuts 6 percent, and fruits, legumes, and eggs should not count on more than 3 percent ferrum absorption. Least of all - only 1 percent of iron - can be obtained from cooked cereals.
Iron-deficiency anemia - serious problem leading to many associated diseases. But you can avoid it if you remember the role of proper nutrition.
Most often, people begin to worry about iron-containing foods when anemia develops. However, iron deficiency can be manifested not only by a decrease in hemoglobin. If you are deficient in iron in your diet, you may experience: unpleasant symptoms like fatigue, lethargy, dizziness and headaches. Adding iron-rich foods to your diet can improve your well-being. Below we have placed a table of foods high in iron.
However, it is necessary to understand that the iron that comes to us with food can be of two types:
Plant iron /non-heme/ is found in plant foods, vegetables, fruits, cereals;
Iron of animal origin /heme/ - as the name implies, iron from blood hemoglobin - is most found in red meat, fish, and poultry.
Heme iron is best absorbed by the body. So iron from meat is absorbed by 20-22%; iron from fish by 10-11%; from plant products by only 1-6%. Therefore, if you are a vegetarian or follow a plant-based diet, the amount of plant foods with a high iron content should be significantly larger, since such iron is less absorbed by the body.
Signs of iron deficiency in the body:
Anemia;
- palpitations with minor
loads;
- difficulty breathing;
- pallor and dryness of the skin;
- deformation and fragility of nails;
- migrating pains and pains in the heart;
- headache and dizziness;
- emotional lability;
- perversions in nutrition especially
children /chalk, soil, sand/;
- obesity.
Norms of iron intake depending on gender and age:
Children: 1-3 years - 6.9 mg per day
3-11 years - 19 mg
11-14 mg - 12 mg
14-18 years - 15 mg
19-50 years old 18 mg
Over 50 years old - 8 mg
Pregnant - 30 mg per day
14-18 years - 11 mg
over 19 years old - 8 mg.
Foods High in Animal Iron
| The product's name | |
|---|---|
| pork liver | 20,2 |
| chicken liver | 17,5 |
| beef liver | 6,9 |
| beef heart | 4,8 |
| pork heart | 4,1 |
| beef meat | 3,6 |
| lamb meat | 3,1 |
| pork meat | 1,8 |
| chicken's meat | 1,6 |
| turkey meat | 1,4 |
| oysters | 9,2 |
| mussels | 6,7 |
| sardines | 2,9 |
| black caviar | 2,4 |
| chicken yolk | 6,7 |
| quail yolk | 3,2 |
| beef tongue | 4,1 |
| pork tongue | 3,2 |
| tuna (canned) | 1,4 |
| sardines (canned) | 2,9 |
Plant foods high in iron
| The product's name | Iron content in mg per 100 g |
|---|---|
| wheat bran | 11,1 |
| buckwheat | 6,7 |
| oatmeal | 3,9 |
| Rye bread | 3,9 |
| soy | 9,7 |
| lentils | 11,8 |
| spinach | 2,7 |
| corn | 2,7 |
| peas | 1,5 |
| beet | 1,7 |
| peanut | 4,6 |
| pistachios | 3,9 |
| almond | 3,7 |
| Walnut | 2,9 |
| dogwood | 4,1 |
| persimmon | 2,5 |
| dried apricots | 3,2 |
| dried prunes | 3 |
| Garnet | 1 |
| apples | 0,1 |
The opinion that the most iron is found in grants and apples is not true. 100 grams of these fruits contain no more than 1 and 2 milligrams of iron. In addition, this iron is of plant origin, and it is absorbed worse.
Table of foods high in iron per 100 grams
|
Iron (mg) |
Iron (mg) |
||
|
apricots |
|||
|
Nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts) |
|||
|
Orange |
|||
|
Mutton |
Parsley (root) |
||
|
egg white |
Pork liver |
||
|
White bread |
Calf's liver |
||
|
Tomatoes |
|||
|
Cowberry |
Beef kidneys |
||
|
Grape |
Wheat flour |
||
|
Beef |
|||
|
sea fish |
|||
|
Mushrooms fresh |
|||
|
dried mushrooms |
|||
|
Breast milk |
|||
|
Mackerel |
|||
|
dried pear |
|||
|
Butter |
|||
|
Caviar caviar |
Black currant |
||
|
turkey meat |
|||
|
Veal |
|||
|
sea cabbage |
|||
|
Cauliflower |
|||
|
Potato |
|||
|
Strawberry |
Pumpkin seeds |
||
|
oatmeal |
Rye bread |
||
|
Gooseberry |
wheat bread |
||
|
Corn |
|||
|
Prunes |
|||
|
Lentils |
|||
|
Pasta |
Rose hip |
||
|
Semolina |
|||
|
cow's milk |
|||
|
Egg yolk |
|||
|
beef tongue |
|||
|
Mandarin |
Dried apples |
||
|
Beef brains |
Chicken egg |
||
What threatens the lack of iron in the body
Constant feeling of tiredness, weakness and headaches may indicate anemia. Most often, along with a calcium deficiency in the body, there is a lack of iron. Since most of it is in red blood cells, which only live for 120 days, iron stores need to be replenished all the time. This is especially important for women who lose twice as much of this element within a month as men.
The body absorbs only 8% of the iron contained in food or tablets. IRON may be low if: you drink a lot of coffee or tea; - you take aspirin, polopyrine for a long time; - the body lacks vitamin C, copper, manganese, cobalt, which facilitate its absorption from the digestive tract.
Of the 716 girls selected for research, 112 showed iron deficiency in the body. He has not yet reached the level where you can talk about anemia. A series of trials at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore
showed that those girls who were given 260 mg of iron per day (in tablets) improved their results in concentration and memorization of words. The choice of girls for research is explained by the fact that they
suffer from iron deficiency during puberty.
Iron supplements should not be taken in unlimited quantities. This can cause damage to the digestive tract or even poisoning the body. Do not give iron to children or take it during pregnancy without consulting a doctor. But a diet enriched with iron is absolutely safe. Never causes signs of poisoning in adults and healthy children. The richest in iron are liver, kidneys, meat, cereals, beans, oatmeal, egg yolks, dried apricots, nuts, spinach, nettle leaves.
Nika Sestrinskaya - especially for the site fotodiet.ru
I am glad to welcome you, my dear readers! In this article I will tell you about the role of iron in the functioning of the human body, about the signs of a lack of this trace element and what it threatens. Together with you, we will identify sources of iron in food and calculate its daily intake.
It turns out that one of the reasons for brittle nails, frequent mood swings, feelings of loss of strength, dizziness, is a deficiency in the body of an important element - iron. Its deficiency can cause unbalanced diets and various diseases such as hemorrhoids, duodenal and stomach ulcers.
Important trace element
Iron is involved in many functions important for human life, such as:
- Blood formation.
- Delivery of oxygen to all tissues and organs.
- Formation of DNA and nerve cells.
- Providing the body with energy.
- Participation in restorative and protective functions.
Of particular importance is this trace element for pregnant women. Iron deficiency can lead to adverse consequences - miscarriage, miscarriage, abnormal fetal development.
Signs of iron deficiency
Dry skin, brittle and dull hair, frequent hair loss, deterioration of teeth, weight gain, metabolic disorders - all this can be signs of iron deficiency. Also pale skin, frequent headaches and fainting. Sleepiness during the day, insomnia at night, memory impairment are also signs of its deficiency.
With a lack of a microelement, the level of hemoglobin drops, the cells lack oxygen, weakness and loss of strength occur. Also, with an active lifestyle, when a person is actively involved in sports, this deviation is detected immediately. With a sedentary image - much later, since the lungs and heart compensate for the lack of oxygen in the body.
The critical norm of hemoglobin for women is considered to be 117 g / l, for men 132 g / l. For pregnant women, the lowest hemoglobin value is 112-115 g / l.
Relationship between excess weight and micronutrient deficiency
Overweight problems are not always associated with overeating, in a sedentary manner life and lack of exercise. Many people try to lose weight by following diets, exercising regularly in the gym, but they do not get a positive result.
The reason may be a lack of iron, on which the metabolism of the body and the normal functioning of the thyroid gland depend. If this is the problem, then all efforts will be in vain if the cause is not eliminated.
Norm per day
The main part of the trace element is concentrated in the blood, about two-thirds. The rest is in the bones, liver and spleen. The level of iron decreases due to natural causes - menstruation, sweating, exfoliation of dead cells.
It is necessary to constantly replenish stocks and maintain the content of this element in the norm. The body should receive 9-25 mg of iron daily.
Exact data depends on age restrictions, gender characteristics and other factors:
- A child under 12 years of age needs approximately 6 to 9 mg.
- Boys - 9 mg, and girls - 14-16 mg.
- Men - 10-15 mg, women - 20 mg.
- Pregnant women - 50 mg minimum amount.
Varieties of iron
It is classified into two types - heme and non-heme. Animal products are rich in heme. Plant origin - non-heme. The percentage of assimilation of these trace elements is different. Heme is absorbed by 18-35%, and non-heme - by 2-25%. From this you can see for yourself that animal products should predominate in the diet.
For vegetarians, the element should be replenished by eating foods that increase its absorption. Basically, these are foods rich in vitamin C.
Accelerate the process of iron absorption:
- Berries and fruits - currants, cherries, strawberries, plums, peaches, all citrus fruits, apple, pineapple.
- Greens and vegetables - dill, green onion, basil, parsley, cucumbers, bell peppers, mostly red.
When compiling a diet rich in iron, one should be aware of the varying degrees of its assimilation. Iron is quickly and fully absorbed from beef, lamb, pork liver, turkey meat and fish.
Foods fortified with iron in the table
Consider a table of foods that contain the most iron.
| The product's name | Iron content (mg) per 100 g of product |
| pork liver | 19 |
| Legumes | 18-19 |
| Mushrooms | 16 |
| Cocoa | 14 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 12 |
| Greenery | 11 |
| beef meat | 10 |
| Wheat germ | 9 |
| Lentils | 7 |
| chicken liver | 6,5 |
| Sunflower oil | 6 |
| Pine nuts | 4,2 |
| Spinach | 4 |
| processed cheese | 3,5 |
| Peanut | 3,2 |
| Mutton | 3 |
| Rye bread | 3 |
| Buckwheat | 2,9 |
| Barley grits | 2,7 |
| Oatmeal | 2,6 |
| duck meat | 2,4 |
| Turkey meat | 2,1 |
| sea fish | 2 |
| Salo | 2 |
In abundance of iron in raisins, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, nuts. Sorrel, dandelion, nettle, carrot and radish leaves are also saturated with this trace element. It is found in a lot of fresh tomato, white cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers and horseradish.
Products that interfere with the process of assimilation of the element
Inhibit the process of iron absorption: milk and dairy products, due to the high calcium content, as well as potatoes, rice and egg white.
It is necessary to eliminate the habit of drinking tea or coffee with food. Since the tannin contained in these drinks prevents the iron from being fully absorbed.
Excess iron
If there is an excess of iron in the body, it has a toxic effect on the cells of the brain and liver, leading to inflammation. Excessive alcohol consumption, diseases and abnormalities of the liver and spleen lead to an increase in the level of normal iron in the body, which is very dangerous.
This leads to a deficiency of other trace elements in the body: copper, calcium, zinc and chromium. Which can lead to many chronic diseases.
So, you should not get carried away with debilitating diets, neglect the norms healthy eating. This can lead to serious impairment of bodily functions. Also check out this helpful video on the subject:
Think about it, maybe instead of buying another expensive cream or trendy skin and hair care product, you should pay attention to the quality and composition of your diet? After all, the cause of many problems lies precisely in the lack of an important trace element - iron.
That's all I wanted to tell you today. If the article was interesting and useful for you, share it in social networks. Subscribe to my blog updates, I'm always glad to meet new people and friends.
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The question of which product contains a lot of iron is of particular interest to those who suffer from anemia (lack of iron in the blood). Iron is a part of many products, but dried porcini mushrooms are the absolute champions in its content. 100 grams of this product contains as much as 35 mg of iron. At the same time, white mushrooms are useful to use fresh. They also contain large amounts of iron.In second place is molasses, it contains 19.5 mg of iron per 100 grams. These are herbal products. Pork liver can be distinguished among animal products. Its use will quickly raise hemoglobin. There are 19 mg of iron per 100 grams of pork liver. These products are a must in any diet aimed at increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood. They can rightfully be called leaders in iron content.
Iron in different foods
Such a vital microelement as iron is found in seaweed and brewer's yeast. Its content in these products is 16 mg and 18 mg, respectively. It is worth noting that iron is better absorbed from animal derivatives. The product with the most iron may turn out to be less useful if the iron in the body is absorbed in a small proportion. For people suffering from low hemoglobin, it is very useful to regularly consume black caviar, seafood, meat of any kind, kidneys, lungs.Among the products of plant origin, it is better to give preference to cocoa, pumpkin, beans, buckwheat, lentils, fresh mushrooms, blueberry, black currant, sesame, halva. The only drawback of "vegetable" iron is its poor digestibility.
For those who prefer fruits and vegetables, you can opt for cauliflower, almonds, strawberries, spinach, bananas, apricots, beets, apples and peaches. The amount of iron in these products varies from 5 to 10 mg per hundred grams of product.
Semolina, green onions, melon, potatoes, rice, barley groats will also help to increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood. However, the iron content in them is not so high - only from 2 to 5.5 mg. These products are more suitable for maintaining the level of iron in the body, that is, for prevention purposes.
When consuming an iron-rich product in order to increase the level of this trace element in the body, the amount of dairy products in the menu should be limited. After all, calcium, as you know, prevents the absorption of iron. At least one of the iron-containing products should be included in the daily menu of any person.
