Iron

It’s been busy at the Cooking Matters office. Classes are in full swing all over the county and with different populations. This past week, I had class in Bothell, Issaquah and the Central District. Each class presents its own challenges and successes. No one class is the same. This week, in one of my classes, we discussed the importance of Iron in our diets. The class is all women so Iron is an especially important topic. Even though we live in a highly developed country, Anemia (Iron deficiency) is quite high; it is the most prevalent micronutrient deficiency in this country.

Why do we need Iron? Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout our bodies. Without it, we get tired more quickly and have weakened immunity. Iron is also a part of many enzymes that help digest food and perform other bodily functions. In other words, it’s essential for us to be happy and healthy. Women are especially vulnerable to Iron deficiency because we lose blood monthly. Children are also at risk as their bodies are growing rapidly. It is essential to choose foods high in Iron in order to meet our daily needs. There are two types of iron: heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron comes from animal products and is easily absorbed while non heme iron comes from plant products and fortified products and is more difficult to absorb. If you are a vegetarian, it is important to eat your sources of non heme iron with vitamin C. Vitamin C helps our bodies absorb iron more easily. Women need between 15-18 mg of iron daily with increased needs during pregnancy. Men need between 8-11 mg per day.

What are some good sources of iron? The Office of Dietary Supplements has a great list of sources:

Table 1: Selected Food Sources of Heme Iron [10]
Food	Milligrams per serving	% DV*
Chicken liver, cooked, 3½ ounces	12.8	70
Oysters, breaded and fried, 6 pieces	4.5	25
Beef, chuck, lean only, braised, 3 ounces	3.2	20
Clams, breaded, fried, ¾ cup	3.0	15
Beef, tenderloin, roasted, 3 ounces	3.0	15
Turkey, dark meat, roasted, 3½ ounces	2.3	10
Beef, eye of round, roasted, 3 ounces	2.2	10
Turkey, light meat, roasted, 3½ ounces	1.6	8
Chicken, leg, meat only, roasted, 3½ ounces	1.3	6
Tuna, fresh bluefin, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces	1.1	6
Chicken, breast, roasted, 3 ounces	1.1	6
Halibut, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces	0.9	6
Crab, blue crab, cooked, moist heat, 3 ounces	0.8	4
Pork, loin, broiled, 3 ounces	0.8	4
Tuna, white, canned in water, 3 ounces	0.8	4
Shrimp, mixed species, cooked, moist heat, 4 large	0.7	4

Table 2: Selected Food Sources of Nonheme Iron [10]
Food	Milligrams per serving	% DV*
Ready-to-eat cereal, 100% iron fortified, ¾ cup	18.0	100
Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared with water, 1 cup	10.0	60
Soybeans, mature, boiled, 1 cup	8.8	50
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup	6.6	35
Beans, kidney, mature, boiled, 1 cup	5.2	25
Beans, lima, large, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.5	25
Beans, navy, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.5	25
Ready-to-eat cereal, 25% iron fortified, ¾ cup	4.5	25
Beans, black, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	20
Beans, pinto, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	20
Molasses, blackstrap, 1 tablespoon	3.5	20
Tofu, raw, firm, ½ cup	3.4	20
Spinach, boiled, drained, ½ cup	3.2	20
Spinach, canned, drained solids ½ cup	2.5	10
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), boiled, 1 cup	1.8	10
Spinach, frozen, chopped, boiled ½ cup	1.9	10
Grits, white, enriched, quick, prepared with water, 1 cup	1.5	8
Raisins, seedless, packed, ½ cup	1.5	8
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice	0.9	6
White bread, enriched, 1 slice	0.9	6

So, eat your iron everyday! It’s hard to overdose on iron from food sources alone but taking an iron supplement and consuming a diet high in iron can be problematic. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are always feeling lethargic or getting sick too frequently to see if you have a deficiency. Also, ask your doctor if taking an iron supplement is a safe choice for you. Happy iron eating!

Janna

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Iron. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron

Iron and Iron Deficiency. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/iron.html