Iron deficiency is common, and women are particularly affected.
When a person's iron stores become too low, they may develop iron-deficiency anaemia: a condition where the heart has to work harder to pump blood, and less oxyen is delivered to the cells in the body, causing symptoms of fatigue.
Teenage girls fall into the higher risk category. This is due partly to the extra iron needed by their growing bodies, and partly because of the iron lost through menstruation. It's also because girls are more likely to adopt fad diets than boys.
"Teenagers are experimenting, so they're wanting to try vegetarian eating or new diets, but are sometimes making poor eating choices," explains Blackmores advisory naturopath, Jennifer Smart.
Alex Graham, herbalist and naturopathic dietitian at Liverpool Women's Health Centre in Sydney, agrees. "Working with adolescent girls, I see a lot of problems related to diet and metabolism, such that many young girls would present with signs of low iron," she says.
An example is the prevalence of caffeinated fizzy drinks at mealtime. "The combination of phosphoric acid and caffeine can have a negative impact on iron metabolism," Graham says. She adds that long-term bone health may also be affected.
What is iron?
Iron is an essential component of the proteins required to transport oxygen to the essential organs and muscle. Oxygen means energy, and studies have repeatedly identified links between iron, mental performance and immunity.
Recently, for example, a study by the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA, found that iron supplementation resulted in better performance in verbal and memory tests by a target group of high school girls with mild iron deficiency.
How to increase iron intake
Haem iron (which is found in animal products) is absorbed more readily than non-haem iron (found in plant sources) and comes in larger per-serve doses. Non-haem iron sources should be eaten with vitamin C to optimise absorption.
Take a look at the following summarized list, and add up what you could be eating daily.
Source |
Milligrams |
Ready-to-eat cereal, 100% iron fortified, ¾ cup (190 ml) |
18.0 mg |
Oatmeal, instant, fortified, 1 cup (250 ml) |
10.0 mg |
Soybeans, mature, boiled, 1 cup (250 ml) |
8.8 mg |
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup (250 ml) |
6.6 mg |
Oysters, breaded and fried, 6 pieces |
4.5 mg |
Beef, chuck, lean only, braised, 90 g |
3.2 mg |
Spinach, frozen, boiled, ½ cup (125 ml) |
1.9 mg |
Tuna, fresh bluefin, cooked, dry heat, 90 g |
1.1 mg |
Chicken, breast, roasted, 90 g |
1.1 mg |
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice |
0.9 mg |
White bread, enriched, 1 slice |
0.9 mg |
*Source: Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institute of Health, USA, http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp
Did you know?
- Iron-rich foods contain lots of other strength-building nutrients, such as vitamin B12, zinc and magnesium.
- Iron in its non-haem (plant source) form is best absorbed by the body when taken with vitamin C-rich foods, and absorption is hindered by tannins (bitter chemical substances found in plants). Enjoy your oatmeal with orange juice – and hold off an hour or two before having that cup of tea or coffee.