Iron Deficiency: How To Get Enough Iron Without Supplements

Nutritionist Kavita Devgan tells you the importance of iron for human health, as well as shares tips on how to increase iron intake through diet.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world, affecting more than 2 billion people. Iron deficiency can lead to serious health problems. For example, lack of iron in the body can lead to decreased production of red blood cells (RBCs), and cause iron deficiency anemia.

In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite, Kavita Devgan, Nutrition Advisor for Tata Salt Iron Health, explains the importance of iron for human health and how one can get the daily iron requirement through diet.

Q. Can you explain the importance of iron in our diets and how it affects our health?

Iron is an essential element with important functions such as oxygen transport, immune function, and muscle metabolism, and iron deficiency can result in serious health problems and possibly lead to iron deficiency anemia, weakness and fatigue. Thus, sufficient dietary iron intake is necessary to maintain normal health.

Iron contributes to the normal formation of the red blood cells, and red blood cells account for about 70 per cent of the body's iron. Iron is found in every cell of the body and is a crucial component of hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen throughout the body to the lungs, tissues, brain, and muscles. In addition, iron plays an important role in improvement in cognition making it an important mineral for growing children.

Q. What are the common sources of iron that can be easily included in our diets?

Include common sources of iron like ground nut and spinach on your plate regularly. Fresh fruits and figs also have iron, as do dried varieties of raisins, apricots, dates.

Q. Can a vegetarian or vegan diet provide enough iron without supplements?

Iron can be found in food in two forms: heme and non-heme. The way our body absorbs these two types of iron is distinct. Heme iron, which is found in animal products such as meat, fish, and poultry, is well absorbed and utilized by the body. On the other hand, non-heme iron, which is present in plant-based sources such as vegetables, grains, fortified foods, and supplements (e.g., eggs, tofu, beans and legumes, fruits and vegetables, dark leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, and iron-fortified cereals), is not as well absorbed.

This is why people following a vegetarian diet, even if they include dairy and eggs, are at a risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia compared to those who consume meat.

Q. What are some common symptoms of iron deficiency?

Common symptoms of iron deficiency include:

• Unexplained fatigue and general weakness
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to cold

Q. Can you provide some tips and advice for people looking to increase their iron intake through their diets?

For an easy and efficient solution to iron deficiency, one can opt for iron-enriched /fortified food products. For example, one can opt for iron-enriched salt from a reputable brand that offers a salt blend providing 25 per cent of daily iron needs which is equivalent to the iron in one bowl of spinach.

If you're primarily obtaining iron from plant-based, non-heme sources, it's important to be strategic about it.

Here are some tips:

• Pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods to enhance iron absorption. For example, have a green smoothie made with spinach and orange juice, or combine beans and lentils with tomatoes.
• Cook spinach as it contains oxalates that can block iron absorption.
• Eat baked potatoes with the skin, as the iron content is minimal without it.
• Include tofu, seeds (such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds), dried fruits (such as raisins and apricots), and nuts (such as cashews, almonds, and pistachios) in your diet as they are good sources of iron.
• Make sure to get enough vitamin C, as it helps the body absorb iron better. Eat vitamin C-rich foods such as broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries, citrus fruits, papaya, cauliflower, and aim to have one amla (gooseberry) per day.