Iron & Nutrition

Iron Importance

Iron is a super essential mineral that the body uses for oxygen transport, deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis (DNA), and electron transport. Iron helps bring oxygen to specific parts of the body and DNA is like the instruction manual for the body.

Types of Iron

There are two types of iron that the body needs which are heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is important because it is more easily absorbed, while nonheme iron is absorbed less by 2%-20%.

Foods with Iron

Heme iron (easier to absorb)

• Meat

• Poultry (chicken and turkey)

• Fish

Nonheme iron= (not as easy to absorb)

• Cereals

• Pulses (beans and lentils)

• Legumes (peas and chickpeas)

• Fruits

• Vegetables

What to avoid?

Too much tea or coffee may make it harder for the body to absorb iron. Limit intake or increase intake for heme iron when drinking two cups of coffee or tea with caffeine.

References

Abbaspour, N., Hurrell, R., & Kelishadi, R. (2014). Review on iron and its importance for

human health. Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 19(2), 164–174.