Iron is among the necessary minerals that help to perform many functions in the body; it is a building material for hemoglobin, the blood oxygen carrier. There are many medical issues accompanied by low consumption of iron; one of the most common is iron deficiency anemia. This causes constant tiredness, weakness, and a weakened immune system. Below are some great ideas on how to increase your iron intake.
Suggest to read :- Nourish Your Journey: Choose Health Over Junk!
Understand the Types of Iron
Before diving into dietary changes, it’s important to understand that there are two forms of dietary iron: heme iron and nonheme iron.
-
Heme Iron: Protein containing heme-iron that is present in red meat, poultry, and fish is more easily absorbed iron in the human system.
-
Non-Heme Iron: Non-heme iron is less readily absorbed than heme iron, but it plays the most part of the entire intake, in beans, lentils, tofu, spinach, etc.
Tips for Increasing Iron Intake
Incorporate Iron-Rich Foods
To increase your iron intake effectively, focus on incorporating a variety of iron-rich foods into your diet:
-
Meat and Poultry: Lean red meats (beef, lamb), poultry (chicken, turkey), and organ meats (liver) contain high levels of iron.
-
Seafood: Seafood rich in iron includes oysters, clams, and sardines.
-
Legumes: Black beans, kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas are few plant food sources that are good for non-heme iron.
-
Nuts and Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, cashews, and hemp seeds are not only good sources of iron and contain healthy fats.
-
Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are rich in non-heme iron, but they also contain oxalates that will prevent the absorption of the said mineral.
-
Fortified Foods: A large number of commercial cereals and bread products are enhanced with iron.
Pair Iron With Vitamin C.
Vitamin C helps in improving absorption of nonheme iron. To maximize your intake
Take foods that contain Vitamin C along with meals with non-heme iron, including oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, bell peppers, and broccoli. For instance, use lemon juice to dress the spinach or take orange juice with your cereal.
Avoid Iron Inhibitors During Meals.
Certain foods and beverages can hinder the absorption of iron and they are as follow:-
-
Coffee and Tea: These kinds of beverages contain tannins, which can greatly inhibit iron absorption. It is recommended that they be taken in between meals, not with meals.
-
Calcium-rich foods: Things like dairy products do inhibit the absorption of iron. If you take foods containing calcium or supplement your diet with calcium, steer away from your iron-containing foods.
Consider Cooking Methods
Cooking methods can also influence the availability of iron in food.
-
Using cast iron pots and pans may raise the heme and non-heme iron content of foods prepared in those utensils.
-
Soaking and Sprouting: Soaking beans or grains before cooking reduces the phytic acid, which prevents the absorption of minerals.
Use Supplements Wisely
If dietary changes alone do not suffice or if you have been diagnosed with an iron deficiency:
-
One should consult a healthcare provider every time they plan on beginning supplements. They can also suggest the right doses depending on the individual requirements of an individual patient.
-
When seeking supplements, always choose those that have ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate, as it is understood that these two are well absorbed.
Monitor Your Levels
If you think you may be anemic, or if you’re on a diet that may limit your iron intake (for example, if you are a vegetarian or vegan), you should get your iron levels checked every now and then by a blood count. Monitoring helps to avoid situations where you are taking a lot of supplements, which may be unhealthy in large measure.
Conclusion
Increasing iron intake in diet as well as in supplement form is quite possible and does not require a terrible deal of thought on what one should eat. It is also possible to increase iron levels through increased intake of bioavailable dietary sources, in particular heme and nonheme sources. One should reduce the intakes of inhibitors for non heme absorption, including coffee and calcium-rich foods, and increase vitamin C intake.
It’s always important to check your levels when it comes to supplements so as to improve your health situation in the right manner. One can go to UniQ-Path Lab for Iron Test in Faridabad as they will help you in checking whether you need to take these supplements or not.