Foods Containing Iron

Iron is one of the most useful mineral in our body and plays a crucial role in performing various types of functions of the body. It is a trace nutrient, and on an average our body requires half to one teaspoon of iron regularly. If this requirement is not met, then our body can experience several health problems. People of any age group can suffer from iron deficiency. Infants and small children below the age 5 years are more prone to iron deficiency. Young girls in their teens can suffer from anemia due to heavy loss of blood at the time of menstruation. Pregnant women and people who have undergone some surgery like gastric bypass surgery can face this problem. Vegan who do not eat enough foods containing iron can end up with iron deficiency. Underlying diseases like Celiac disease or Crohn's disease can lead to inadequate absorption of iron in the body.

Importance of Iron in Human Body

Iron is a vital component of several enzymes and proteins present in our body. It is an essential ingredient of hemoglobin, a protein substance in the red blood cells, and helps in transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the various parts of the body. It can act as an antioxidant through certain enzymes. It is also important for the overall growth and development of our body, it helps in the healing process in the body and is also responsible for providing immunity to the body.

Due to deficiency of iron one can develop iron deficiency anemia. The symptoms of this kind of anemia are tiredness, fatigue, headache irregular heartbeat, breathing irregularities after physical exertion lack of appetite etc. If children suffer from iron deficiency, it can affect their brain and motor development. Insufficient iron can give nail deformities or brittle nails. It can affect the immune system of the person and make them susceptible to cold and other infections.

Iron Enriched Foods

There are two different forms of iron that can be obtained from foods. Those food items that are obtained from animal based sources are referred to as heme sources of iron. Those iron rich foods that can be found from non animal based sources such as fruits, vegetables, grains etc. are known as non-heme sources of iron. The foods that contain iron are as follows:

Meat: Foods that are richest source of iron mostly are of animal origin. Any meat is a rich source of iron. However, red meat like beef, pork or lamb is a better option than the poultry like chicken and turkey. Liver and kidneys contains a high amount of iron.

Seafood: Seafood are excellent sources of iron. In fact, the iron content in the seafood is much higher as compared to fish. Oyster, salmon, shrimp, octopus, scallops, clams, etc., are some of the best choices of seafood that you can eat in order to obtain iron.

Greens and Vegetables: Leafy greens like spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale are some of the richest sources of iron. While vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, tomatoes, Swiss chard, asparagus, green and red peppers, watercress, and parsley can also boost the iron levels in our body.

Beans: Beans can supply us with a good amount of iron. They include red beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, soy beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, lentils, etc.

Fruits: Fruits like oranges, guavas, grapefruits, kiwi fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe has to be included in the diet of iron rich foods. Along with rich iron content, these fruits contain vitamins that can help in better absorption of the iron in the body.

Other Foods: Iron fortified foods like breakfast cereals, bran flakes and noodles are strong in iron content. Dried fruits like apricots, raisins, figs, prunes, dates can supply us large quantity of iron. Tofu, hard-boiled eggs, nuts are also among other foods containing iron.

Vitamin C facilitates better absorption of iron. For this reason, you can take supplements of this vitamin after consulting your doctor. Certain foods like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, caffeine, etc., inhibits iron absorption in the body, and hence should be avoided.