Iron is one of the many essential nutrients that the body needs to function properly. This post explores the roles of iron in supporting your health, the different types of iron and what foods to add to your diet to improve your iron levels.
Importance of Iron in Your Diet
One of iron’s most important roles in the body is as a building block for hemoglobin, which moves oxygen around your body. Without enough iron, your body is not able to form hemoglobin, which can also impact your body’s production of red blood cells (RBCs).
Impact on Health
Iron deficiency can have many implications on your health. It can cause fatigue, anemia, and even weaken your immune system. Additionally, low iron levels can also impact fertility, making it harder for people of childbearing age to become pregnant.
Signs of Deficiency
There are a few physical signs that you may have iron deficiency. Common signs of deficiency include:
- Feeling tired and weak despite getting enough sleep
- Pale skin and nails
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling dizzy when exercising or doing strenuous activities
Testing for Iron Deficiency
Your doctor can order blood tests to measure your iron levels and check if you’re at risk of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). These blood tests would include:
- Serum iron test: This measures the amount of iron within your blood
- Transferrin test: This measures the amount of iron-transporting protein in your blood.
- Iron binding capacity test: This measures how well iron attaches to transferrin, and the other proteins found in your blood.
- Ferritin test: This measures how much iron is stored throughout your body.
Having low levels of one, or more of these measures may indicate iron deficiency anemia. You can learn more about iron deficiency anemia here.
Sources of Iron
There are two types of iron found in our diet – heme iron and non-heme iron. Below you will find the differences between the two types of iron, and what foods you can find them in.
Sources of Heme Iron
Heme iron is found in animal products, including:
- Red meat (such as beef and lamb)
- Poultry (such as chicken and turkey)
- Fish (such as tuna and salmon)
Sources of Non-Heme Iron
Non-heme iron is typically found in fruits and vegetables, including:
- Legumes (beans, lentils and chickpeas)
- Tofu and tempeh
- Nuts and seeds
- Whole grains (such as quinoa, brown rice and oats)
- Dark leafy vegetables (kale, Swiss chard)
Tips for Increasing Your Iron Intakes
Choose more heme iron
If possible, including more heme iron sources in your diet is an effective way to improve your iron intake.
Heme iron is more easily absorbed by your body than non-heme iron, which makes it a great addition to your diet if your iron levels are low.
Add more leafy greens
Leafy greens are a rich source of non-heme iron. Adding more leafy greens to your plate can be particularly helpful in promoting your iron intake if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Pair with vitamin C rich foods
Pairing with vitamin C-rich foods can help improve iron absorption.
Some food combinations to try include:
- Strawberries + yogurt + cereal
- Oranges (or grapefruit) + nuts
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Kimberley is a Registered Dietitian, licensed in Ontario. She helps clients across Ontario control their blood sugars and reduce their risk of chronic conditions.