Iron for Healthy Blood!

Vitamins and minerals cannot be synthesised by the human body. They must be provided by the diet. Because only small amounts are needed a day, they are thus termes as 'micro' nutrients. During rapid growth, micronutrient intake must be increased, otherwise growth failure or deficiency diseases may develop. Iron is one of the race minerals that plays an important role in our body.

• Iron is involved in respiratory transport oxygen and carbon dioxide.  It helps transport essential nutrients.
• Adequate iran intake is essential for the normal functioning of the immune system.  Both iron surplus and defiency result in changes in the immune respose and may affect the body's ability to fight infections.
• Iron is important for normal brain function at all ages.

Types of Iron
There are two types of iron that can be obtained from food: heme and nonheme iron. Heme iron is found in animal products like red meat, seafood, poultry, liver, heart and kidney while non-heme iron is found mainly in plant sources beans, lentils, nuts and iron-fortified cereals. Heme iron represents only 5 to 10% of dietry iron, but it is more easily absorbed into the bloddstream than non-heme iron  In typical meal, about 25% of heme iron is absorbed as compared of 5% for non-heme iron. However, one may also improve iron intake by consuming foods rich in vitamin C and forlic acid.

Some suggestions to increase your iron intake:

• Eat more iron-rich foods.
• Boost your iron absorption by taking more foods rich in vitamin C.
• Take iron from lean, red meats. Their iron is more easily absorbed

Food			Quantity	mg of iron

Fortified cereal	1 cup		1-16

Baked beans		1 cup		5.0

Cooked oyster		1 oz		3.8

Enriched white rice	1 cup		2.3

Fresh spinach		1 cup		1.5