Could you be low on Iron? Since my early 20’s I have had intermittent low iro…
Could you be low on Iron?
Since my early 20’s I have had intermittent low iron. Whilst I don’t eat it a lot, I do eat red meat which is one of the richest sources. For me, it seems to be a genetic thing.
Deficiency can sneak up on you fast and makes you feel pretty rubbish, so my tips are below:
1. If you don’t have a good gauge of your body’s iron status then request a check from your GP. If it’s sitting at a good level, then a once a year check is probably routine enough.
2. Red meat and the foods in this image are the best sources of iron. It is worth noting that the levels of iron in some of the foods pictured are a lot lower than red meat. For example, red meat contains 2 to 5 times as much iron as chicken.
3. Iron from plant foods is not as well absorbed as iron from animal foods. You can help it along by consuming Vitamin C rich foods at the same time.
4. If you can, avoid consuming any of the following 2 hours either side of eating something iron rich:
– Tea and coffee (they inhibit absorption)
– Calcium rich foods (competes with iron absorption).
Not possible when you’re consuming iron fortified cereals but good to keep in mind at other times.
Do you have any queries about iron? Ask me below.
