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Food affects not only the iron you consume, but also the amount absorbed by your body.
After the body gets iron from food, the mineral is used to make hemoglobin. This is the protein that helps oxygen circulate in the body.
The recommended amount of iron intake is 7-18 mg per day and up to 27 grams for pregnant women, AgroWeb.org experts explain.
A person who is deficient in iron shows different signs. These include fatigue, dizziness, headache, sensitivity to cold, and shortness of breath when performing simple actions.
Additionally, iron deficiency results in a lower level of attention and mental function.
Foods that help maximize iron absorption
Full of Vitamin C
Vitamin C-rich products are excellent at absorbing iron. These include citrus fruits, vegetables, salads and dark green herbs, peppers, melons and strawberries.
A German study shows that taking 100 mg of vitamin C with a meal increases iron absorption by 67%.
Consuming lemon juice or other vitamin C-rich foods while eating iron-rich foods greatly increases your body’s absorption of the mineral.
Full of Vitamin A and beta-carotene
AgroWeb.org experts show that vitamin A increases iron absorption by up to 200% for rice, 80% for wheat and 140% for corn.
Adding beta-carotene with meals increases absorption more than 300% for rice and 180% for wheat and corn.
Good food sources of beta-carotene and vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, herbs, squash, red peppers, cantaloupe, apricots, oranges and peaches.
Combinations with types of meat
Studies have reported that adding red meat, poultry, or fish to a grain-based meal results in about 2-3 times more iron absorption.
Adding 75 grams of meat to a meal increases iron absorption by about 2.5 times, compared to a meal without meat.
Just 1 gram of red meat, fish or chicken provides an iron absorption-enhancing effect similar to that of 1 mg of vitamin C./AgroWeb
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