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Iron 101: All about low iron levels, iron deficiency anemia and iron in foods

The World Health Organization estimates that 80 per cent of the global population may not get enough iron, resulting in low iron levels and iron deficiency anemia. Is your iron knowledge a little rusty? Find out about what iron does for your health and foods that contain iron, plus how much iron you need.

By Cara Rosenbloom

5. Since an excess of iron can be harmful, take iron supplements only if your doctor or dietitian recommends them.
The most common iron supplements are iron salts such as ferrous fumarate and ferrous gluconate. Check the label for the amount of elemental iron; this number reflects the amount of iron that's available for absorption, says Estelle Wolf, a pharmacist in Thornhill, Ont.

Since iron supplements may cause unpleasant side-effects, such as constipation and nausea, Wolf suggests taking the supplement with food, at various times of the day, or starting with half of the recommended dose and gradually working up to the full amount. If these strategies don't help, she suggests trying iron polysaccharide supplements, which are more expensive but, because they've been chelated (bound together) with complex carbohydrates, they're easier to digest. Check with your pharmacist to ensure that you’re not exceeding recommended doses when you add supplements to your multivitamin.

How much iron is in your food?

Food
HEME
Iron (mg)
Beef liver, pan-fried (75 g)4.6
Beef sirloin steak, broiled (75 g)2.3
Shrimp, pan-fried (75 g)   
2.3
Dark chicken meat, roasted (75 g)   
1.0
White chicken meat, roasted (75 g)    
0.8
Pork chop, broiled (75 g)   
0.7
Atlantic salmon, poached (75 g)   
0.3
NONHEME 
Bran flake cereal (125 mL)   
4.0
Spinach, boiled (125 mL)   
3.4
Oatmeal, plain (175 mL)   
3.1
Potato with skin, baked (1 medium)   
2.8
Red kidney beans, canned (125 mL)   
2.8
Spaghetti, cooked (125 mL)   
1.0
Raisins (60 mL)   
0.7

(While it appears that spinach has more iron than steak, remember that less of the iron from spinach is absorbed.)

Dietary Allowances
Recommended Dietary Allowances  
Age/stageMale (mg/day)Female
(mg/day)
Infant 7–12 months1111
Children 1–3 years77
Children 4–8 years1010
Children 9–13 years 
88
Teen 14–18 years1115
Adult 19–50 years818
Adult 51 years
88
Pregnancy
N/A27
LactationN/A9

Read more:
Avoiding iron deficiency
Supplements for energy

Try our Advanced Recipe Search to find recipes that are high in iron and other nutrients.

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