57 Foods Rich In Iron

About Iron

Iron is an important component of haemoglobin, the part of the blood that carries life-giving oxygen to the various cells around the body. Iron is also incredibly important in ensuring the proper function of the body, including growth and development.

Whilst dietary iron is present in its natural form in a huge number of foods, it is actually present in two forms: haem and non-haem iron. Meat and seafood contain both types of iron, whereas plants and fortified foods contain only non-haem iron. Despite the notion that we have to eat plenty of meat in order to maintain good iron levels, only 25% of our iron comes from meat-based sources, the remaining 75% comes from plant-based foods and fortified foods.

Most of the iron we consume is present in haemoglobin, with the remainder being stored as ferritin in the bone marrow, liver and spleen. There are a number of ways to measure exactly what the levels of iron are in the body and professionals choose which to use based upon what they are trying to measure.

If attempting to determine an iron deficiency, then they might choose to measure the amount of ferritin in the body to indicate the early stages of a deficiency. During the final stages of iron deficiency they take a blood cell count and test overall haemoglobin concentrations.

Why Is Iron Important?

Whilst it is clear that iron plays a key role in the production of red blood cells and transporting oxygen around the body, as well as preventing anaemia caused by an iron deficiency, it is also important for the proper, healthy development of the foetus whilst in the womb. A deficiency of iron can sometimes have consequences for the infant once they are born.

A recent study examined the effects that iron has on the growth of babies when inside the womb and concluded that low intakes of iron during the early stages of pregnancy increased the risk of babies being born small for their gestational age. They tend to be smaller because they were unable to get the right levels of nutrients and oxygen from the blood during gestation. Whilst some babies are small because their parents are genetically predisposed to being small, for most babies who are small for their gestational age there are concerns that they may experience complications later in life.

It is also understood, thanks to another recent study that low iron intakes during pregnancy may increase the risk of children developing asthma, wheezing and other breathing related conditions later in life. Iron deficiency during and after pregnancy also poses a risk to the mother because she is at a greater risk of developing anaemia. Indeed, a study has shown that within the field of obstetrics up to 80% of anaemia is caused by iron deficiency, something that can be prevented with little more than a healthy diet and iron supplements.

Recommended Intakes

During childhood years, the recommended daily intake of iron for males and females remains the same until females begin menstruation, right through until menopause. This is because the blood lost through menstruation leads to a drop in iron levels, which then need to be replenished. The same is true during and after pregnancy, and whilst lactating.

For infants under six months of age, there is no recommended intake of iron, only a suggested safe amount that it is felt will ensure that babies are getting the levels of iron their bodies need to thrive, which is 0.27mg a day. Babies aged seven to twelve months old require around 11mg of iron a day; whilst children aged between one and three years old need 7mg a day. Children between the ages of four and eight years old should be getting about 10mg a day; those aged nine to thirteen years need 8mg.

If a young woman begins menstruating before the age of fourteen, then she will likely need greater intakes of iron, but it is best to check this with a doctor. From fourteen years of age onwards, the amounts of iron for males and females differ. Between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, males need 11mg of iron a day, then from nineteen years onwards they only require around 8mg a day.

Females of child-bearing age should be getting about 27mg of iron during pregnancy and when lactating they should be getting around 10mg a day. When not pregnant, females aged fourteen to eighteen should be getting 15mg of iron a day and those aged nineteen years and upwards should be getting 18mg a day until they are about fifty-one years old, or going through menopause; then their recommended intake reduces to the same levels as males, at 8mg a day.

Iron Deficiency And Anaemia

Anaemia is most commonly associated with iron deficiency because a lack of iron tends to be the most likely cause of anaemia; that said, there are other causes and it is often noticed that a person who is deficient in iron is also lacking in other minerals as well. A deficiency of iron in the body results in less oxygen getting to where it is needed, which can have serious consequences on health in the long term.

Iron deficiency can be broken down into several stages, although how quickly each stage is reached depends largely on the cause of the iron deficiency. Initially, during mild iron deficiency, the stores of iron in the bone marrow and ferritin are depleted. Then, during a stage known as marginal deficiency, the stores of iron are eventually depleted, however haemoglobin levels remain within normal ranges. Finally haemoglobin levels and concentrations of red blood cells decline, which means that the final stage of deficiency has been reached: Iron Deficiency Anaemia.

Because it can sometimes be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of anaemia, the symptoms of an iron deficiency may be overlooked. That said, the following symptoms are common amongst people experiencing iron deficiency: lethargy and general tiredness, palpitations, shortness of breath and pale complexion.

Other, less common symptoms include headaches, tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing in the ears), itchiness, difficulty swallowing, desire to eat non-food items and painful ulcers on the corner of the mouth – if you have any of these symptoms, you should consult your doctor straight away.

There are also groups of people who at more risk of experiencing iron deficiency than others and they include:

• Pregnant women and babies – during pregnancy, the body requires a greater intake of iron to help produce the required blood cells needed for the placenta and foetus. If the daily iron intake isn’t increased to match demand, then the mother is at risk of developing an iron deficiency, as is the baby. Indeed, if the mother was suffering from iron deficiency during pregnancy, then there is a risk that the baby will experience a deficiency during the first few months of life since they won’t have received the proper levels of iron whilst in the womb.
• Regular blood donors – blood loss is one of the most common ways for iron deficiency to occur, which means that people who regularly donate blood leave themselves at risk of developing a deficiency. The best way to combat this is to take iron supplements and increase intakes of iron-rich foods, particularly before and after giving blood.
• People with cancer – when suffering from cancer, or undergoing cancer treatment, there is a risk of experiencing iron deficiency and it is thought that this risk is due to blood loss that may occur with certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer, or from chemotherapy-induced anaemia.
• People with a gastrointestinal disorder or recovering from gastrointestinal surgery – people who are living with a gastrointestinal disorder or recovering from surgery will likely be on a restricted diet that may affect their iron intake, which in turn can result in iron deficiency. There is also the risk of bleeding post-surgery, or in the advanced stages of a disorder, which could also increase the risk of developing an iron deficiency.

Risks And Warnings

Like with most vitamins and minerals, there is very little risk of overdosing on dietary iron, particularly if you are otherwise fit and healthy and have a properly functioning digestive system. That said, there is a danger of overdosing on iron supplements because such supplements tend to have large doses of iron in a concentrated form. Negative effects from ingesting too much iron tend to appear almost immediately and are usually focused around the abdominal area, including constipation, nausea, abdominal pains and vomiting. These symptoms tend to appear for levels of iron at around 20mg/kg.

Ingestions of dangerously high levels of iron, mostly around 60mg/kg, can lead to convulsions, organ failure and even death. Children have become seriously ill or died from consuming such large quantities of iron supplements, mistaking the tablets for sweets, which is why the warning about keeping them out of reach of children should be taken very seriously.