Haemoglobin is a protein in our body that contains iron – low levels of haemoglobin indicate a deficiency of iron – either intake or absorption, or both. Remember that if you do supplement, it’s best to take iron with some vitamin C, and also to get your haemoglobin checked again in a few months to see that the supplementation is helping. You can also enhance the absorption of iron from your food in the meantime, and try to eat more foods that are higher in iron.
There are 2 forms of iron in food: Heme iron, which is found in meat and organ meats (not eggs or milk) and Non-heme iron, which is found in plant foods, eggs etc.
Heme iron is absorbed easily, but non-heme iron sometimes needs some help.
Things that help with non-heme iron absorption | Things that can hinder non-heme iron absorption |
|
|
Here are some foods that are good to remember and which are worth including regularly to support adequate iron intake:
- Fortified foods e.g. breakfast cereals and, in South Africa, bread and maize.
- Liver (once every 2 weeks)
- Red meat (beef, lamb, venison, ostrich, pork) and dark poultry meat e.g. duck or chicken legs/thighs rather than breasts
- Canned sardines
- Seafood like clams and oysters
- Beans and chickpeas, and soy bean products e.g. tofu or tempeh
- Green vegetables e.g. broccoli and spinach
- Pumpkin seeds
- Dried apricots
- Baked potatoes
Remember that most foods contain a small amount of iron – whole grains, vegetables, fruit, all meats and fish, eggs, nuts and seeds etc, so it is still important to eat plenty of variety along with all the very iron-rich foods.
If your diet is predominantly plant-based, your iron intake requirements are higher than for a person who eats more animal foods simply because you need to take in more non-heme iron when that is your only source.
