Iron does a lot of heavy lifting in the body, so we all need to make sure we get enough of it — no matter what our diets look like. Choosing more high-iron foods is a good way to do that.
“Iron is a mineral and very important for growth and development,” Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com. And if you’re not getting enough iron, you may feel fatigued, dizzy and run down.
When you’re trying to get more of this crucial mineral in your diet, look for foods that are high in iron, which includes both meat and vegetarian options.
Why do we need to eat foods with iron?
“Iron is essential for a lot of things,” Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, tells TODAY.com.
One of iron’s most important jobs in the body is to help make hemoglobin, a “protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen away from the lungs to all parts of the body,” Susie explains. Iron also supports muscle growth, metabolism, healthy connective tissues, cellular function and hormonal health.
And iron is necessary to create myoglobin, another protein that specifically carries oxygen to the muscles, Susie adds.
Men should aim to get 8 milligrams of iron per day, according to the recommended dietary allowance. The amount of iron that women need depends on their age and other factors. Postmenopausal women should also get 8 milligrams of iron per day while those who are premenopausal should get about 18 milligrams per day.
If you aren’t getting enough iron, Zumpano says you may feel:
- Chronic fatigue.
- Dizziness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Odd cravings (for ice or red meat, for example).
That said, the symptoms of iron deficiency aren’t always obvious. “Some people have no symptoms or may overlook their symptoms,” Zumpano says. So if you’re concerned about your symptoms, “I would recommend getting your iron checked,” she says. “It’s a simple test.”
Foods high in iron that dietitians recommend
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