Sources of iron. Where is iron found? Main food sources of iron Food sources of iron

It's a paradox, but many women cannot lose excess weight precisely because of iron deficiency, since this trace element actively affects normal functioning thyroid gland responsible for metabolism. As a result, the more you try to lose weight, the more you gain.

Iron is one of the microelements that performs many important functions in our body. Both deficiency and excess negatively affect human health, but microelement deficiency is a more common phenomenon.

Why does the body need iron?

The main role of iron in the body is determined by the fact that it is responsible for the level of hemoglobin in the blood, and is also part of hundreds of enzymes, thereby performing many important functions. The main thing is the transportation of oxygen to all cells, tissues and organs.

The role of iron in the body:

delivery of oxygen to all cells and organs;
responsible for the process of hematopoiesis;
responsible for DNA production;
participation in the life of every cell of the body;
provides energy metabolism;
supports immune system body;
participates in redox reactions;
ensures body growth and the formation of nerve fibers.

And this is not all that iron is responsible for. Taking it during pregnancy is especially important, since during this period a woman experiences an acute deficiency of the element, which can ultimately lead to serious consequences.

The body's daily requirement for iron

U healthy person There are 3-4 milligrams of iron in the body, the main supply of the microelement is in the blood (2/3), the rest is found in the liver, spleen and bones. But every day the level of iron in the body decreases naturally (skin exfoliation, sweating, blood loss during menstrual cycle). As a result, to function fully, our body needs to replenish its iron supply daily with foods in amounts ranging from 10 to 30 mg.

Daily requirement:

a woman needs 18-20 mg per day;
adult man – 8 mg;
children under 13 years old – 7-10 mg;
adolescents – 10 mg for boys and 15 mg for girls;
pregnant women - at least 30 mg per day.

If timely replenishment does not occur daily requirement iron, the body begins to suffer. For example, if the quality of your hair and skin has deteriorated, you should not immediately attribute it to age and buy expensive cream in double quantities. It is possible that your body has simply depleted its iron reserves, which need to be replenished.

Iron-rich foods

Iron can be of several types - heme and non-heme. The first is found in food of animal origin, the second in plant products. The body absorbs iron of animal origin better - from 15 to 35%; for comparison, the plant form is absorbed in an amount of only 2 to 20%.

If you are a vegetarian or simply prefer to eat little meat, make sure that your diet contains enough foods with vitamin C, which significantly increase the absorption of iron.

List of foods containing large amounts of iron:

meat and offal- beef, lamb, lean pork, turkey and chicken, any liver, and the darker the meat, the more iron it contains;

Fish and seafood– shellfish, oysters, mussels, sardines, shrimp, tuna, red and black caviar;

eggs– chicken, quail, ostrich – another product rich not only in iron, but also in magnesium, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids;

cereals and bread– buckwheat, oatmeal, barley groats, rye, wheat bran;

vegetables, herbs and legumes- spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, corn, asparagus, beans, beans, lentils, peas;

fruits and berries– pomegranate, plum, persimmon, apples, dogwood;

dried fruits– prunes, dried apricots, raisins, figs;

nuts and seeds– pistachios, cashews, almonds, peanuts, walnuts – all types of nuts, as well as seeds, contain a lot of iron.

When buying fruits and dried fruits, be careful - the more beautiful and cleaner the fruits look, the greater the likelihood of them being treated with harmful substances to increase their shelf life.

Table of foods containing iron

The table shows products of plant and animal origin containing iron (data are given in mg per 100 g). As you can see, the most trace elements are found in pork and chicken liver, as well as in mollusks. Products are not much inferior in numbers plant origin, such as: soybeans, lentils, wheat bran. But remember that the absorption of the latter by the body is 2 times lower.

The iron food table file can be downloaded for free from this link.

There is an opinion that apples and pomegranates are ideal products for iron content. This is far from true - the table shows that per 100 g of product there is 0.1 and 1.0 mg of iron, respectively.

What affects iron absorption

It seems that in order to compensate for iron deficiency, it is enough to include foods containing this trace element in your diet. However, when combined with certain types of foods containing calcium, tannin and polyphenols, they can interfere with the active absorption of iron.

Accordingly, dairy products rich in calcium not only do not contain iron, but can also interfere with its active absorption. If you are a big fan of coffee and strong tea, it is recommended to avoid these drinks immediately after meals, as caffeine also interferes with the body's ability to absorb iron. The same goes for Coca-Cola - don’t get carried away with this product, it’s better to replace it with rosehip decoction, dried fruit compote and other healthy drinks.

Vitamin C increases the absorption of plant iron by 2 times.

How to determine iron deficiency in the body

First of all, a lack of iron in the body is expressed in general weakness, increased fatigue, decreased performance. The skin becomes pale, dry, rough, hair literally “creeps out”, nails constantly split and break, and cracks appear in the corners of the mouth and on the heels.

Not only your appearance, but also your internal organs can suffer from anemia. For example, upon careful examination gastrointestinal tract It often turns out that the tissues are poorly supplied with blood and look pale, and this in turn affects the performance of vital organs.

Symptoms of iron deficiency in the body:

general weakness, increased fatigue;
constant dizziness;
shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat with slight exertion;
numbness of the limbs;
sleep disturbance, insomnia;
frequent colds, infectious diseases;
problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
decreased appetite, difficulty swallowing food;
change in taste and smell in a specific direction (desire to eat chalk, raw cereals, addiction to the smell of acetone, paints, etc.);
problems with nails (become brittle, split, spoon-shaped indentations appear);
problems with hair (they begin to fall out, become dry, brittle, early gray hair appears);
deterioration of the skin condition (becomes dry, pale and sallow, with multiple microcracks, jams appear in the corners of the mouth.

Of course, to make an accurate diagnosis, the first thing you should do is take a general analysis blood in a medical laboratory.

The first sign of iron deficiency will be a low hemoglobin level:

below 130 g/l in men;
below 120 g/l in women.

Causes of high iron loss

Loss of iron in our body can occur due to various reasons, and the main ones are fasting, strict diets, vegetarianism, blood loss associated with heavy periods. As a result, there is a possibility of developing anemia or anemia, as it is commonly called in medicine.

Anemia is a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which is often combined with a decrease in the number of red blood cells. It can be light, medium and heavy.

According to statistics, from 800 million to 1 billion people on the planet suffer from this disease. Young middle-aged women and teenagers are primarily susceptible to anemia. It is impossible to diagnose this disease on your own; there are special laboratory research. However, preliminary symptoms may indicate that the hemoglobin level is outside the acceptable range.

If your hemoglobin level has not dropped below 100 g/l, the situation is not critical, but you definitely need to check Special attention to replenish the iron supply in your body with the help of iron-containing products. At a level of 90 g/l and below, moderate and severe anemia occurs; in this case, treatment is prescribed by a doctor.

If you have been diagnosed with anemia, then in addition to proper diet, is rich in iron, it is quite possible that you will need to take iron supplements. And, of course, don’t forget about foods containing iron, as the main source of nutrients.

And forget about strict diets forever. Beauty, although it requires sacrifice, but if your own health is sacrificed, it’s time to think about the consequences.

Meat, liver, fish, poultry are all good sources of iron. They contain a lot of protein, which improves its absorption and use. There is a lot of iron in the liver and tongue, in beans, peas, and sprouted wheat. Many nutritionists believe that women who lead a sedentary lifestyle should take iron as a medicine - as prescribed by a doctor.

You can also use iron in tablets, as long as the iron is of organic origin (for example, in food products prepared for us by nature itself.

The richest source of iron is molasses, a by-product of sugar production that also contains a lot of magnesium: 1 tablespoon of molasses (about 15 g) contains 3.2 mg of this trace element.

100 mg of cooked veal liver contains 12 mg of iron, and 7 mg of beef liver. In some salt deposits, 1 kg of rock salt contains about 450 mg of iron. Rock salt - effective remedy prevention of anemia, which affects about 20% of the world's population (data World Organization healthcare).

There is a lot of iron in plum juice, dried apricots, raisins, nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. 30 g of sprouted wheat contains 3 mg of iron. Black bread, bran, and wholemeal bread are also rich in it. But about 5% of iron is absorbed from bread products and vegetables, and 15-20% from products of animal origin (tongue, fish liver, beef). However, iron obtained from plant foods is organic and its absorption is tripled.

Make it a rule to combine a boiled product (usually any animal product is cooked) with a vegetable product, so that there is three times as much vegetable product. Here, this rule reflects our body’s ability to absorb microelements in organic form. In addition, there is another law: microelements cannot be absorbed without vitamins. An excellent source of iron is the liver.

Onions increase iron absorption! Still would! It is a real storehouse of vitamins, especially vitamin C. Wholemeal bread, black bread, bran (wheat and rye), cereals, herbs, salad vegetables, and cabbage are rich in iron.

So, to satisfy our body’s need for iron, we must first of all:
eat natural, unrefined foods;
prefer foods that contain a lot of iron;
Remember about vitamin C and vitamin B12, which make iron easily absorbed.

Products Iron content, ml/100 g
Fruits
Dried pears 5.4
Prunes 3.9
Raisins 3.3
Raspberries, currants 0.9
Dried dates 2.1
Grapes, peaches 0.8
Bananas, blueberries 0.6
Apples, pears 0.3
Cherry, grapefruit 0.2
Vegetables
Cabbage 20
Red cabbage 18
Spinach 0.3
Soy 12-13
Green peas 1.9
Brussels sprouts 1.3
Tomatoes 0.6
Onion, lettuce 0.5
Celery leaf 16
Dill 12
Beans 10
Nuts, chicory 25
Other products
Dried yeast 18
Brewer's yeast 18.2
Chocolate 20
Honey 0.9
Dairy
Whole and skim milk 0.1
Condensed milk 0.2
Milk powder 0.2
Whole egg 2.7
Yolk 7.2
Protein 0.2
Meat and fish
Beef, pork 60
Horse meat 50
Calf's blood 40
Chicken blood 30
Rabbit meat 15
Beef liver 12
Cereals
Cereals 4,5
Wheat 3.3
Rice 0.8

http://www.inmoment.ru/beauty/health-body/iron1.html

Hello everyone! Let's talk today about iron in foods, which we so need to maintain our vital functions.

Surely everyone knows from childhood that iron is the most important element, without which the existence of life is impossible.

It is an essential mineral that forms the blood component hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin is a special protein found in red blood cells. It is thanks to him that the blood has a red tint.

Its main function is to transport water and oxygen to organs throughout the body. A deficiency of hemoglobin means that there are not enough helpers in the blood that help distribute oxygen.

This is why people with iron deficiency feel constantly tired.

To function properly, the body must maintain healthy levels of iron at all times.

If you find yourself deficient in it, you can correct this problem by adjusting your diet.

From this article you will learn:

But you shouldn’t expect instant results immediately after you supplement your diet with iron-containing foods.

The blood restoration process takes four to six weeks. Give your body at least one to two months to replenish its iron stores.

Symptoms of iron deficiency

• chronic fatigue
• retarded physical and mental development in children
• low school performance in children
• inflammation of the tongue (glossitis)
• problems regulating body temperature
• low immunity

Who needs hardware?

Everyone needs iron, but there are categories of people who are especially susceptible to decreased hemoglobin levels and have:

• pregnant women;
• women during menstruation;
• children of all ages;
• aged people;
• people recovering from illness.

These people need to pay special attention to their diet and make sure they are getting enough iron to allow their body to restore its hemoglobin levels on its own.

Iron content in food

Fruits rich in iron

Now let's look at the 10 fruits richest in iron:

• Dried apricots

For prevention, you can take vitamins with iron.

Buy quality vitamin complexes with iron in chelated forms, you can Here

During treatment with iron supplements, it is worth remembering that sometimes an increase in the amount of hemoglobin is observed no earlier than after a month of treatment.

Also, during treatment, it is important to take into account not only the normalization of hematological parameters (hemoglobin, red blood cells, color index), but also restoration of iron concentration in the blood serum and adequate reserves in the depot organs (liver, spleen).

Approach your health consciously and be healthy!

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Alena Yasneva was with you, see you again and be healthy!

Photo @ zoomteam

It has become easier for Ukrainians to replenish the body’s need for iron. In March, divalent iron "Spaton" appeared on pharmacy shelves across the country as a dietary supplement in a convenient sachet form.

The Spaton supplement is based on water from the TrefewWellsSpa spring, which is located in the heart of the Snowdonia mountains of East Wales. For more than 200 years, people from all over the world have used the spring water as a natural iron supplement. Today the water from TrefewWellsSpa is known as Spaton. It is consumed daily by millions of people around the world to maintain normal level gland.

Lethargy, apathy, depression, fatigue, headaches, dry skin, Thin hair and brittle nails, digestive disorders.. All this is the result of iron deficiency in the body. Iron-rich foods should appear on your table in the very near future. Daily norm iron intake - 18 mg for adult women and 8 mg for men. What foods are the leaders in iron content? Shellfish are the champion for the presence of iron: 100 grams contain approximately 24 mg of iron and only 126 calories. But they cannot be included in the daily diet - they are too exotic for our latitudes and not cheap.

Men's iron requirement is 10 mg/day. Women's need for iron is greater - 15-18 mg (especially during menstruation).

Today, about 30% of people from the total population of our planet face the problem of iron deficiency. Fast fatiguability, weakness, deterioration of the skin, hair, nails, circulatory problems - these are signs that the body does not have enough iron for normal functioning.

Most often, iron deficiency is experienced by women during pregnancy, lactation, menopause, as well as children and adolescents during periods of intensive growth, athletes, elderly people, vegetarians, and fasting people.

Over time, iron deficiency develops into iron deficiency anemia. To prevent the disease, people try to eat as much meat as possible and include more plant foods high in iron in their diet.

Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to replenish iron deficiency through a properly balanced diet, since the body absorbs only 15-20% of iron from foods, out of an ideal 10-15 mg. Moreover, it should be Fe (II) which contains products of animal origin. Attempts to replenish the body's need for iron from plant foods (beans, soy, parsley, peas, spinach, dried apricots, prunes, pomegranate, raisins, rice, buckwheat, bread) are not always successful. The fact is that the body receives Fe (III) from products of plant origin, which must be converted into Fe (II) for digestibility. In addition, Fe (III) irritates the mucous membrane and is absorbed 5 times worse than Fe (III).

During the period of abstaining from meat, an alternative source of iron is the “Spaton” supplement with a pleasant taste.

WhySpaton?

• Iron digestibility in Spaton is 40%
• Gentle on the stomach
• Does not stain tooth enamel
• No need to drink it down
• The sachet fits easily in your pocket or purse
• Doesn't call side effects

• 1-2 sachets of drinking iron per day is enough
• Take Spaton in the morning on an empty stomach or between meals.
• Drink Spaton with fruit (orange) juice, as vitamin C improves absorption. Spaton with apple flavor and vitamin C can be drunk undiluted.
• Allow 30-45 minutes between iron supplements and meals and drinks (tea, coffee, red wine).

Consult your physician before use.

More details on the website spatone.com.ua

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Lethargy, apathy, depression, fatigue, headaches, dry skin, thin hair and brittle nails, digestive disorders.. All this is the result of iron deficiency in the body. Iron-rich foods should appear on your table in the very near future. The daily intake of iron is 18 mg for adult women and 8 mg for men. What foods are the leaders in iron content? Shellfish are the champion for the presence of iron: 100 grams contain approximately 24 mg of iron and only 126 calories. But they cannot be included in the daily diet - they are too exotic for our latitudes and not cheap.

Why the body needs iodine: everything about iodine and iodine deficiency

Headache? - There is not enough iodine. Fatigue and apathy? - There is not enough iodine. It feels like iodine is a miraculous element that saves you from everything. Let's figure out why we really need iodine and exactly how much! To the human body For normal functioning, certain vitamins and microelements are required, for example iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C. The list of the most essential such substances includes iodine.

Fasting with benefits: 5 rules of proper nutrition during and after fasting

Fasting is not just a diet, Orthodox priests say. However, many use the period of Lent as an opportunity to prepare their figure for summer, unload and cleanse the body. Refusal of food of animal origin leads to a number of changes in the body: both positive and, possibly, negative. On the one hand, switching to a plant-based diet cleanses the body of toxins, strengthens the immune system, and improves the functioning of internal organs and well-being in general. But at the same time, we lose a number of vitamins and microelements important for the body.

How to eat during Lent to benefit your health and figure. Nutritionist advice

Lent- a time when we, by limiting ourselves in food, strengthen our spirit. However, many people perceive fasting as a diet, which can lead to health problems. Those who fast for seven weeks abstain from all animal products and, accordingly, from dishes containing them. Our expert: Lena Kashtanova, nutritionist of the Easy Meal project.

Why you should sleep naked

It turns out that sleeping naked is very good for your health. Such sleep helps to improve both the physical and psychological state of a person. Forget about grueling workouts, because to keep your body in perfect shape, you just need to undress before going to bed. According to an international study by the American National Sleep Foundation, one in three adults sleeps naked, writes the Daily Mail. Famous fitness trainer Charles Poliquin believes that sleeping in what your mother gave birth to helps reduce the level of cortisol in the blood.

Annual medical tests for women

Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat. The problem of citizens’ irresponsible attitude towards their health is very acute in our country. Everyone knows that you need to undergo regular medical examinations. But it is very rare who finds time for themselves. In addition, the quality of medical care often does not contribute to the desire to see the doctor again. Regular medical examinations with doctors should become a habit. But you shouldn’t go to extremes either. Running to doctors and looking for sores is not a way out of the situation.

Continuation

Women who watch their figure suffer most from iron deficiency because they have too little iron in their diet. There are lovers of dairy cuisine and fruit and milk diets who eat only dairy products and fruits, and they also have very little iron. It is present in egg yolks, but in a poorly digestible form. Therefore, with such a diet, you should add a product rich in vitamin C to double the amount of iron absorbed from the yolk (for example, parsley, dill, lemon juice, orange juice or rosehip infusion).

Many scientists argue that the point is not that iron from the yolk is poorly absorbed, but that it blocks the absorption of this element from other foods. Therefore, it should be remembered that the optimal dose of vitamin C, which increases the absorption of this microelement, is 500 mg.

Older people often do not absorb iron well, so they need to take vitamin C and hydrochloric acid with iron-rich foods. But only a doctor can determine whether treatment with hydrochloric acid will have side effects. No one should take hydrochloric acid without a doctor’s advice!

Where is iron found?

Meat, liver, fish, poultry - they're all good iron sources. They contain a lot of protein, which improves its absorption and use. There is a lot of iron in the liver and tongue, in beans, peas, and sprouted wheat. Many nutritionists believe that women who lead a sedentary lifestyle should take iron as a medicine - as prescribed by a doctor.

You can also use iron in tablets, as long as the iron is of organic origin (for example, in food products prepared for us by nature itself).

Sources of iron

The richest source of iron is molasses, a by-product of sugar production, which also contains a lot of magnesium: 1 tablespoon of molasses (about 15 g) contains 3.2 mg of this trace element.

100 mg of cooked veal liver contains 12 mg of iron, and 7 mg of beef liver. In some salt deposits, 1 kg of rock salt contains about 450 mg of iron. Rock salt is an effective means of preventing anemia, which affects about 20% of the world's population (data from the World Health Organization).

There is a lot of iron in plum juice, dried apricots, raisins, nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

30 g of sprouted wheat contains 3 mg of iron. Black bread, bran, and wholemeal bread are also rich in it. But about 5% of iron is absorbed from bread products and vegetables, and 15-20% from products of animal origin (tongue, fish liver, beef). However, iron obtained from plant foods is organic and its absorption is tripled.

Make it a rule to combine a boiled product (usually any animal product is cooked) with a vegetable product, so that there is three times as much vegetable product. Here, this rule reflects our body’s ability to absorb microelements in organic form. In addition, there is another law: microelements cannot be absorbed without vitamins.

An excellent source of iron is the liver.

Onions increase iron absorption! Still would! It is a real storehouse of vitamins, especially vitamin C.

Wholemeal bread, black bread, bran (wheat and rye), cereals, herbs, salad vegetables, and cabbage are rich in iron.

So, to satisfy our body’s need for iron, we must first of all:

• eat natural, unrefined foods;
• prefer foods that contain a lot of iron;
• Remember about vitamin C and vitamin B12, which make iron easily absorbed.

Few people know that simple stinging nettle of any variety (both large-leaved and small-leaved) contains many useful amino acids, for example: lecithin, enzymes (oxidase, peroxidase and chlorophyllase) and organic acids, including formic acid. But besides all this, nettles contain a lot mineral salts(15 - 19%). This is simply a storehouse of vitamins, enzymes, and microelements. Among them are compounds of silicon, potassium, calcium and iron, vitamins A, C, K, as well as 4 - 7% chlorophyll and recently discovered plant secretin, which activates the excretory activity of the stomach, liver, spleen and intestines, and intestinal motility. That is why ethnoscience For centuries, nettle has been used to treat anemia. Clinical experiments have confirmed that nettle perfectly treats anemia and is not inferior to synthetic iron preparations.

Every housewife in the village knows that chickens will lay eggs better if dried nettle is added to their feed, and traditional herbalists advise treatment with fresh nettle juice, squeezed from the leaves and trunks of young plants collected before flowering. This is easy to do: collect, rinse thoroughly, pass through a juicer or mixer with a small amount of water, and then squeeze out the juice. Take 3 tablespoons per day. The juice is tasteless, but very healthy. You can drink it with honey. The juice keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.

In 1941, the United States entered the war, and the National Defense Nutrition Conference decided to fortify flour and bread with iron to prevent anemia among the American population. Fatigue is the first sign of iron deficiency and the resulting anemia, and war does not tolerate tired people! But in America they produced only white flour and White bread(that is, pure starch), while the valuable part of the grain went to waste.