blog #71 Absorption of iron is increased by Vitamin C

Iron is an important nutrient.

Recommended Dietary intake of iron for males is 8 mg/day and for females is 18 mg/day.

Lack of iron can cause anemia, which limits exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between blood and tissue cells.

Iron sources: Meat, leafy greens, beans, whole grains, and eggs

Types of iron: heme vs. nonheme (animal based vs. plant based)

Good sources of iron contain >10% of U.S. RDA (recommended daily allowance)

iron from animal-based sources is absorbed at a rate of about 15 percent where iron from plant-based sources is only absorbed at a rate of 3-8 percent.

 So if you are a vegetarian, vegan or you just don’t eat much meat, then how do you get adequate iron in your diet?

Absorption of iron is increased by consuming it with Vitamin C. Also, acidic foods, such as tomatoes, can provide some dietary iron when cooked in a cast-iron pan. So cook your lentils in tomato sauce in a cast-iron pan for extra iron if you are vegetarian/vegan!