Iron's Key Functions
Iron is a key dietary mineral or nutrient that is indispensable for the normal as well as healthy functioning of your body. From burning fats and aiding for the production of hemoglobin to helping for the smooth transportation of oxygen to blood cells, iron plays a pivotal role for a variety of bodily functions. In fact, the deficiency of iron in your body can lead to a number of problems like anemia, fatigue and obesity (source).
Iron plays a key role in oxygen transport.
When exercising the blood carries oxygen to the working muscles. The components in blood that make this possible are the red blood cells (RBC), which contain a protein called hemoglobin which binds to oxygen.�Iron is essential to maintaining adequate hemoglobin levels.
Two Types of Iron
Heme iron is easily absorbed by your body and foods with heme iron include beef, pork, chicken, fish, turkey, veal, liver and seafood.
Non-heme iron isn't absorbed easily by your body. These are the foods you see on the sides of cereal boxes and other carbohydrate type foods (breads, pastas, lentils, peas and beans). Nuts and seeds contain some non-heme iron as well as dark leafy vegetables. Don't forget about egg yolk either.
Note: Calcium prevents iron absorption and vitamin C helps it.
Benefits of Absorbing the Right amount of Iron
Incorporating right amount of iron in your dietary routine help you to derive a number of health benefits such as:
Hemoglobin Formation: The prime function of iron is to help for the formation of hemoglobin, in addition to giving red color to the blood.
Brain Functioning: As it helps for the smooth transportation of oxygen, of which brain utilizes about 20%, iron is directly associated with the health and proper functioning of brain.
Treating Anemia: Anemia is a severe condition that occurs due to the deficiency of iron (more on anemia).
Helps to Alleviate the Symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome: Decreased level of iron in blood is regarded as one of the major causes for the onset of Restless Leg Syndrome. However, proper intake of iron supplements and foods containing iron can help you to cure this condition.
Proper Muscle Functioning: Iron is found in muscle tissues and helps for the contraction of muscles. Other obvious benefits as a result of the balanced intake of high iron foods are proper synthesis of neurotransmitters, eliminating fatigue, improved metabolism, and enhanced concentration.
Too much iron can increase the risk of heart disease (source). Which is why there should be differences between the pills depending on the gender.
Men tend to accumulate iron as they age so multivitamins should be iron free for them.
Menopausal women, who are normally less susceptible to loss of iron, should also choose an iron-free multi that contains higher levels of calcium for bone health. Women in their reproductive years should take a multivitamin that contains iron and good levels of folic acid (more here). A prenatal vitamin is necessary while attempting to conceive and during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
For hemoglobin to produce effectively Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Copper and Folate should all be accompanied with iron (source)
List of Foods Rich in Iron
Below is a list of foods that contain the highest amount of iron per 200 calories.
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