By Rafika Al Ghrawi | Staff Writer
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. It causes extreme fatigue and lightheadedness. It can also cause chest pain, brittle nails, and pale skin. It is common across all ages. Here’s everything you need to know about it!
Types of iron
There are two sources of iron: one is in the form of heme and the other of non-heme. The heme source comes from meat, fish and chicken, whereas the non-heme source comes mainly from plants and fortified foods. The heme sources are absorbed better by our body than the non- heme sources. It is also important to note that 95% of the iron present in our body is iron in heme form.
How much do you need?
The current recommended dietary allowances for iron are:
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnancy | Lactation |
| 14-18 years | 11 mg | 15 mg | 27 mg | 9 mg |
| 19-50 years | 8 mg | 18 mg | 27 mg | 9 mg |
| 51+ years | 8 mg | 8 mg |
Which foods are high in iron?
Heme sources:
| Food item | Mg of iron per serving |
| Oysters, cooked, 90 g | 8 |
| Beef liver, pan fried, 90 g | 5 |
| Sardines, canned, 90 g | 2 |
| Beef, cooked, 90 g | 2 |
| Chicken, roasted, 90g | 1 |
| Egg, boiled, 1 large | 1 |
| Tuna, canned in water, 90g | 1 |
| Turkey, roasted, 90g | 1 |
Non-heme sources:
| Food item | Mg of iron per serving |
| Breakfast cereal, fortified with 100% DV, 1 serving (as per label) | 18 |
| White beans, canned, 1 cup | 8 |
| Lentils, boiled, ½ cup | 3 |
| Spinach, boiled, ½ cup | 3 |
| Chocolate dark, 45%-69%, 30g | 2 |
| Chickpeas, boiled, ½ cup | 2 |
| Potato, baked, 1 medium | 3 |
| Cashew, roasted, 30g | 2 |
Tips for getting that iron better absorbed
A small tip for people making sure to increase their iron intake is comsuming vitamin C with it. Vitamin C helps you absorb the iron in your food. For example, add a cup of orange juice with your cereal, or add some citrus fruits like oranges, clementine or even kiwi. You can also have that cup of juice with steak or chicken liver. If you are a bit conscious about your calorie intake, or you want to restrict your consumption of fruit sugar, adding lemon juice is a great alternative. Lemon juice has negligible calories and has the same effect.
One last thing that should be taken into consideration is your tannin intake. What are tannins? They are compounds present in teas that binds iron and takes it out of the body. So when can you drink your tea? If you are on an empty stomach you can take your tea, wait for 30 mins, and then take your iron supplements. If you have already eaten, then you should wait for 2 hours before having your tea.
Be careful not to take your iron supplement with other supplements like zinc and copper, because they inhibit its absorption. Try to take these supplements spaced out and over your day and not all at the same time.
Iron is not hard to find in food, but it is also easy to be deficient in it. This is why you should always keep up with its daily intake, for it has many functional benefits in the body, and its deficiency leads to unsatisfactory symptoms. So, maintain a healthy blanced diet that includes iron, and you should be well off safe and healthy!