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Do you have an Iron Deficiency? These tips are for you! (Part 1)
Being low on iron is no joke! A deficiency can make you tired, pale and more importantly, it can make you doubt yourself because…… a deficiency can feel like a mental problem!
I know a few of you here are dealing with low levels of iron. But if you feel like ‘hey, that could be me!’, check the signs & symptoms of iron deficiency(click here). To give you some extra support I would like to share with you a few tips I found in a 2020 review in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism.
But a few reminders first:
How much iron do we actually need?
Men need less than women. Men above 19 need 8-9 mg of iron from food. But menstruating women above 19 need more than double: 18 mg!
(See table below for more information)Lets now take a look at the most iron-rich food sources:
- Beef liver: 6.5 mg per 100 gram/3.5 ounces
- Cooked lentils: 6.6 mg per 200 gram/1 cup
- Ground beef: 2.7 mg per 100 gram/3.5 ounces
- Spinach: 2.7 mg per 100 gram/3.5 ounces
- Quinoa: 2.8 mg per 185 gram/1 cup
- Pumpkin seeds: 2.5 mg per 28 grams/1 ounce
Unfortunately, since these are iron-rich foods, most foods contain less iron. Maybe you can see now that getting enough iron on a clean healthy diet can be pretty hard. No wonder I could find this direct quote from this 2020 review:The majority of healthy women of reproductive age have an iron intake which is markedly below the recommended intake
What foods can decrease your iron absorption?
We have discussed iron absorption in the mineral course. It isn’t straightforward. Iron is one of the hardest nutrients for the body to absorb. We know absorption gets even more difficult when you have an H. Pylori overgrowth or experience low stomach acid for example because of a slow thyroid, medications like PPI’s or chronic stress.But some foods can influence iron absorption as well. Below you will find a summary of the findings of this review.
Foods that decrease iron absorption
Phytic Acids/Phytates:
Phytic acid is a compound widely distributed in plant foods. Phytic acid can form complexes with iron, in this way interfering with intestinal absorption. The main sources of phytate in the daily diet are cereals and legumes as well as oilseeds and nuts. These foods are important in the human diet and represent approximately 40% of the caloric intake for humans in developed countries.How to overcome the inhibitory effects of phytates?
Eat vitamin C-rich foods combine with a supplement. Cooking & heating phytates degrade them as well.Polyphenols/Tannins
Polyphenols are found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and spices. Polyphenols are especially high in tea, coffee, cocoa, red wine, and some herb teas. In studies, they found that tea could reduce iron absorption from 64% up to 94%. With coffee absorption of iron decreased by 39%. How to overcome the inhibitory effects of coffee & tea?
Drinking a cup of coffee 1 hour before your meal didn’t decrease iron absorption. 1 Hour after consuming a meal however did decrease iron absorption the same way as drinking coffee with your mealSoybeans & Proteins from Soybeans
If you are consuming (non-GMO) soybeans, be aware they are rich in phytates as well. Soybeans can sometimes (not always) be very rich in iron as well. This might be the reason why research on soybeans can give conflicting results: sometimes they inhibit iron absorption, and sometimes they don’t. The unmodified soya bean protein isolate however did inhibit iron absorption.Milk
The protein casein in milk can inhibit iron absorption. In addition, the calcium in milk can inhibit iron absorption as well.Eggs
Both egg yolk and egg white contain certain proteins and other chemical compounds that decrease iron absorption. On top of that, the iron in eggs has poor bioavailability, especially when cooked.Calcium
We have touched on calcium in the mineral course. This review tells us that besides milk some green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cabbage, okra, and some legumes like soybeans also contain appreciable amounts of calcium. My personal opinion is that further research needs to be done here. My take-home message here was that if you are dealing with an iron deficiency estimating how much calcium your diet contains could help you improve getting your iron levels up.Conclusion
Are you dealing with iron deficiency? Take a look again at your lifestyle: Are you drinking lots of tea? Coffee? Or maybe you like nuts & eggs?A temporary reduction in these products might help you restore your iron levels faster!
Stay healthy!
Daniel
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1 Reply
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Wow, did not know that H-pylori can decrease iron level absorption! Great summary!
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