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Good nutrition is one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle. The best way to give your body the balanced nutrition it needs is by eating a variety of nutrient-packed foods every day; including lean meats and dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. For people suffering from anemia, a healthy and nutritious diet becomes even more important. Many kinds of anemia, especially those caused by deficiencies of iron or vitamins, may be prevented from recurring by eating a diet rich in those nutrients.

Women of childbearing age, pregnant women, infants and toddlers, and teenage girls are at greatest risk of developing iron deficiency anemia because they have the greatest need for iron. Ironically, these are the people who are least likely to receive adequate amounts of iron from their diets. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) describes dietary intake of over 40,000 Americans. This national survey suggests that while most men consume recommended amounts of iron, women of childbearing age and young children often do not get enough iron in their diets.³

Why is iron important?
It is important to get enough iron because iron builds red blood cells, muscle proteins, and healthy bones. Most importantly, it helps your blood cells carry the oxygen it needs for energy. For people with anemia, getting enough iron in their diet is an easy, natural way to begin improving their well-being.

How much iron do I need each day?
The amount of iron your body needs varies depending on your age and gender. It also depends on the amount of iron already stored in your body. If your stored iron is high, your body absorbs less iron from the foods you eat. Conversely, your ability to absorb iron increases when your stored iron is low. The chart above lists the daily intake of iron that is generally recommended. Your healthcare professional can help you determine how much iron is stored in your body and the amount of iron that is necessary to meet your individual needs. Eating iron-rich foods every day will help ensure that you are getting enough iron in your daily diet.

Iron Rich Foods
Iron is found in food in two forms, heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron, often found in meat products, is well absorbed. Foods containing heme iron are the best sources for increasing or maintaining healthy iron levels. Such foods include beef, organ meats, pork, poultry, fish, clams, and oysters. Non-heme iron, often found in plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts) is not as easily absorbed as heme iron. Eggs, dairy products, and iron-containing vegetables have only the non-heme form. Such vegetable products include dried beans and peas, iron-fortified cereals, bread, pasta products, dark green leafy vegetables (chard, spinach, mustard greens, kale), dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.

Spinach has often been regarded as a good source of iron. Even in cartoons, Popeye the Sailor Man could become abnormally strong after eating a can of spinach. But as seen in the chart below, spinach has just as much iron as other leafy vegetables. In addition, spinach also contains high levels of oxalate, which stops your body from being able to absorb iron effectively. While it may not be the best source of iron, spinach is still an excellent source of several vitamins, beta-carotene and antioxidants. So maybe Popeye was right after all.¹

Can other foods affect iron absorption?
Your body needs iron and it is important to eat the right foods, but what you eat with those iron-rich foods can also affect how much iron your body actually absorbs. Some non-iron containing foods, when eaten together with iron-rich foods, can actually help you absorb more iron. Foods that contain a lot of vitamin C aid in the absorption of iron. These include citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, strawberries, melons, dark green leafy vegetables and potatoes. Cooking your vegetables, rather than eating them raw, can increase the amount of available iron. Another way to improve the absorption of iron from plants is to include a source of meat, also iron-rich, with the meal. As demonstrated in a 1986 study from the American Dietetic Association, cooking foods in a cast iron skillet can add significant amounts of iron to your food.²

Some of the foods you eat may reduce your body’s ability to absorb iron. Drinking coffee or tea with a meal can decrease iron absorption from 50-60%. Phytates in some grains, phosphates in cola drinks, and possibly fiber may interfere with iron absorption. These may be important factors if your diet is already low in iron.

If you think you may have anemia, we recommend you see your doctor. Close communication with your doctor will help him or her provide the treatment that is best for you based on what is causing the anemia.

References

1. The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES III. 1988-94.
2. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.
3. Hamblin TJ Fake. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1981;283(6307):1671-4.
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2003. USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 16. Nutrient Data Laboratory Website.
   
5. Britten HC, Nossaman CE. Iron Content of food cooked in iron utensils. J Am Diet Assoc. 1986;86(7):897-901.

Last Updated: July 16, 2008