Good Sources of Iron

Iron is a mineral that is vital to human life. In the blood plasma, it is found to be tightly bound to the protein called transferrin. The average optimum concentration of iron is different for men and women. It is 3.8 g for men and 2.3 g for women. The present article briefly discusses the significance of iron for human body. It later focuses its discussion on iron rich foods.

What is the Significance of Iron?
Iron is a mineral that is needed for carrying out a number of metabolic functions in your body. It is important for the immune system of your body to carry many of its functions. Under normal conditions, your body self monitors and regulates the absorption and usage of iron for different needs. The greatest benefits of having optimum level of iron in the body include strong immunity, provision of energy, and mental intelligence. In fact, it is essential for your life. It is found to be present in all the living cells in your body. Following is a list of some of the vital roles played by iron in your body.

• Production of hemoglobin
• Production of myoglobin
• Generation of certain enzymes
• Assists the delivery of oxygen from blood and muscles, and hence helps in energy generation
• Assists the removal of carbon dioxide from the blood
• Prevents and cures anemia
• Aids in growth and development of the body
• Sharpens mental acuity
• Provides energy
• Prevents fatigue
• Improves action of respiratory system
• Promotes metabolism of protein
• Strengthens immune system
• Promotes natural resistance to disease

Thus, you can yourself make out how important iron is for you to lead a healthy life. Any fall in the normal levels of iron in the body gives rise to numerous health issues. Some medical conditions can bring a descent in the concentration of iron from its optimum limit. These are loss of blood, pregnancy, malnutrition, poor absorption of iron in the body. When your body is deficient in iron content, it shows some signs and symptoms specific to the condition. Some of them are mentioned here.

• Lethargy
• Fatigue
• Pale skin
• Headache
• Lightheadedness
• Abdominal pain
• Insomnia
• Poor immunity
• Brittle hair
• Shortness of breath during physical activity
• Rapid and forceful heartbeat
• Sore, smooth or reddened tongue

What Foods are a Good source of Iron?
You can prevent yourself from the deficiency of iron by following a balanced diet that includes foods that have a good source of iron. If you are suffering from iron deficiency, you can cover it up by eating healthy foods that are high in iron. You should make such food products a necessary part of your daily diet. Eating them in adequate quantity will bring the level of iron to its optimum limit. Here are some foods that are known to be rich sources of iron.

• Red Meat
• Fish
• Poultry
• Black-eyed peas
• Tofu
• Chickpeas
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Beans like red kidney and lima
• Lentils
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Legumes
• Skinless chicken
• Salmon
• Roasted pork
• Beef liver
• Oysters
• Lean sirloin
• Prunes
• Egg yolk
• White bread
• Dried Apricots
• Peanut butter
• Bran
• Pumpkin seeds

There are some tips to retain iron in cooked food. Cook food in small amounts of oil. Secondly, do not over cook. In fact, try to cook for the shortest possible time. Also, you can enhance the absorption of iron in the body by taking adequate amount of vitamin C. Now that you know about the foods that are rich in iron, you should have them in adequate quantities on a regular basis. This will foreclose iron deficiency in your case and will enable you to lead a healthy life.