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8 Vegetarian Sources of Iron

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Feeling sleepy and rundown lately? You may not be getting enough iron. A woman needs 18 milligrams a day. Beef, chicken, and fish are great sources, but if you aren't big into those foods or a vegetarian, check out these eight sources that will help you meet your RDI.

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Eye on Iron: Cast Iron Skillet

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:00:45 -0700

Due to our complex biology and Aunt Ruby's monthly visit, women need more iron than men. Adult women should aim for 18 milligrams of iron a day, and an easy way to boost your iron intake is to cook with a cast iron skillet.

Acidic and watery foods cooked in a cast iron skillet will absorb iron molecules from the pan, and this a safe way to meet your recommended daily allowance of the important mineral. There are a couple of caveats, though. The more you use your skillet the less iron your food will absorb, because a well-seasoned pan will have a thin layer of fat coating the pan. This seasoning will interfere with some of the iron absorption. The other is taste. The longer food cooks in a iron skillet, the more likely it is to take on a metallic taste from the pan. That being said, see how much you can increase your iron when you read more.

Researchers found that the iron in one serving of tomato sauce increased from under one milligram to almost 6 mg when cooked in an iron pan. The iron in scrambled eggs increased from 1.5 mg to 5 mg. Most surprising is applesauce. A 100-gram serving (about a quarter of a pound) went from .35 mg of iron to over 7 mg when cooked in cast iron. Do you use a cast iron skillet?

Calcium, Iron, and Fiber - Oh My!

FitSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

We eat for our health and to feed our our bones, blood, and bowels, but some nutrients just don't play well with others. Take calcium and iron for instance. Calcium can reduce your ability to absorb iron by as much as 50 percent. However, calcium only interferes with non-heme iron, which comes from plant-based foods, not with heme iron, found in meat. This interplay between calcium and iron is really only important if you suffer from anemia, because although short-term iron absorption is reduced by calcium, studies have found that iron stored in the blood is not.

When it comes to calcium, fiber binds to the mineral, reducing its absorption. Studies have found that wheat fiber reduces calcium absorption by about half. If you're like most folks and you aim to get a jump-start on fulfilling your recommended daily intake of fiber and calcium with your bowl of breakfast cereal, choose cereals that feature oats or other grains since they don't seem to block the calcium.

Ultimately, if you eat a well balanced diet and aim to eat your nutrients rather than find them in supplements, you're probably getting all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need. Just think of this post as a little food for thought.

How to Get Your Daily Iron

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Getting enough iron is necessary for your overall health. Our bodies need iron to make hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. If your cells aren't getting oxygen, then you'll experience dizziness, fatigue, pale skin, low energy, and frequent headaches.

An adult woman needs 18 mg of iron a day. Doesn't seem like much, right? To see what I ate yesterday to reach my daily iron intake read more

Meal	Food	Iron (mg)
Breakfast	1 cup skim milk	.1 mg
	3/4 cup of Kashi Heart to Heart cereal	1.8 mg
	1/4 cup raisins	1.1
	1 tsp flaxseeds	.2
Lunch	1/2 cup tofu	6.2
	1/2 cup cooked broccoli	1
	1/2 cooked kale	2
	1/2 cup cooked quinoa	1.4
	1 small pear	.3
Optional Snack (for pre-workout)	6 oz. cup of Silk vanilla soy yogurt	1.4
Dinner	3 oz. grilled trout	4
	1 medium baked potato	1.9
	1/2 cup cooked asparagus	1
	Total iron intake	22.4 mg

It really isn't that hard to get enough iron. Just make sure to include a variety of legumes, soy products, eggs, meat, whole grains, seeds, and dark green veggies in your diet. If you're interested in knowing what other foods contain iron, check out this list.

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The Connection Between: Beets, Red Urine, and Iron

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Have you ever gone to the ladies room and were alarmed at what you saw? Red urine?! No reason to panic just yet. Think back to what you ate recently. Was there anything red? Yep, the beets are the culprit. I know it sounds weird but it's completely normal for some people to eat this veggie and notice a reddish color when they go to the bathroom. Ten to 14 percent of the population experience this genetic phenomenon known as Beeturia, but it can also occur if you eat a lot of other oxalic acid containing foods such as spinach, rhubarb, or chocolate along with your beets. If that's the case, then red urine is harmless, but it can also be a warning sign that you have an iron deficiency. If you're not getting enough iron, you may notice other symptoms such as feeling tired all the time, having a hard time concentrating, or pale skin and gums. A simple test at your doctor's office can help figure out if your iron levels are low. Once you start adding more iron into your diet, you'll have an increase in energy and the next time you eat beets, you won't have the scarlet effects.

Are You Getting Enough Iron?

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Have you been feeling sleepy, run down, dizzy, or low in energy? Are you feeling short of breath or having a hard time focusing at work? Have you noticed that your skin is pale, or you often have headaches? It may have something to do with how much iron you're getting in your diet. An adult woman should get 18 mg of iron a day and if you're not reaching this goal, you may have iron deficiency anemia. Our bodies need iron to make hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. If your cells aren't getting oxygen, then you'll experience the symptoms I mentioned above. You may also notice brittle nails and cold hands.

You may be at risk for low levels of iron if you tend to have heavy periods, are pregnant or just had a baby, if you are a long-distance runner, are a strict vegan, if you frequently donate blood, or if you have a gastrointestinal condition that makes it hard for you to absorb nutrients from your food. Meat, fortified cereals, dried beans, spinach, and potatoes with the skin are great sources of iron. To find how much iron they contain and see what other foods contain iron read more.

Food	Amount	Amount of Iron (in mg)
Fortified cereal	1 oz	4.5 - 7
Dried apricot	1/4 cup	1.5
Raisins	1/4 cup	1.1
Molasses	1 tbsp	3.3
Garbanzo beans	1/2 cup, cooked	3.4
Pinto beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lima beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lentils	1/2 cup	3.2
Soybeans	1/2 cup	7
Tofu	1/2 cup	6.2
Sun-dried tomatoes	1/2 cup	9
Spinach	1/2 cup, raw	2.7
Kale	1/2 cup, steamed	2
Broccoli	1/2 cup, raw	1
Asparagus	1/2 cup, steamed	1
Potatoes, with the skin	1/2 cup	3.2
Pine nuts	1/2 cup	9
Peanuts	1/2 cup	3.9
Pumpkin seeds	1/2 cup	14
Sunflower seeds	1/2 cup	6.7
Flaxseed	1/2 cup	6.2
Ground beef	1 patty	4
Steak	3 oz	4
Turkey (dark meat)	3 oz	4
Oysters	3 oz, steamed	7.4
Trout	3 oz	4
Shrimp	3 oz	4
Egg	1 large	.7

Fit's Tip: You can take iron supplements, but they may cause an upset stomach, heartburn, or constipation, so it's best to get your iron from foods. It's rare, but you can also get too much iron. Extra amounts of iron in the body eventually build up to dangerous levels and can cause severe damage to organs trying to store the extra iron. So be careful not to exceed your daily amount too often.

Source

Keeping an Eye on Iron

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:30:00 -0800

Do you know where to find your recommended daily intake of 18 milligrams of iron? The Popeye cartoon leads us all to believe that spinach is the ultimate source for iron. It does contain a decent amount. A half a cup of raw spinach will provide you with 2.7 milligrams of iron, but you have more powerful options out there. There are a wide variety of sources, so take a look and see. Source

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Iron Sources: Veggies & Grains vs. Meat

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

If you are dealing with anemia or low iron in your blood, you should be eating iron rich foods. Even though there are many iron rich foods to choose from, they are not all created equally. Iron found in meat, fish and poultry is more easily absorbed by the body. Plant based iron sources like dry beans, dark leafy veggies and enriched bread products are important sources of iron, but they come in a form that is not as easily absorbed. So look for a variety of iron sources by eating a well balanced diet.

Fit's Tip: Remember to combine iron rich foods with vitamin C since it increases the amount of iron the body can absorb. They don't call vitamin C ascorbic acid for nothing!

5 Things: Healthy Hair

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:00:00 -0700

We all want to have gorgeous, full, shiny locks of hair. Since we aren't all genetically blessed with strong and lustrous looking hair, here are some things you should know about hair, and some tips to making yours healthier.

Shedding hair is totally normal. Everyone loses between 40 and 120 strands of hair a day.

If you're worried that you're losing more than this, make sure that you are getting enough iron in your diet. The RDI of iron is 18 mg a day.
Also make sure to eat foods rich in Vitamin A (cheese, eggs, carrots, and spinach), Vitamin C (citrus fruits, potatoes, and tomatoes), Vitamin E (soy and leafy greens), and Vitamin B12 (chicken, fish, eggs, and milk) to promote healthy hair.
Brush your hair before you step into the shower to shampoo it. A few strokes of a brush will loosen up product buildup and gently detangle your hair. It also stimulates the scalp and promotes blood flow which helps to deliver nutrients to your hair follicles.
When hair becomes dry or damaged, the hair shaft splits at the end, causing what's called a split end (as I am sure you know from experience). If you notice one, cut it at least 1 inch above the split (resist splitting apart the hair with your fingers). A split end can split the hair all the way up to the scalp, so snip it as soon as you spot one. Getting regular haircuts to trim away dead ends will also keep your hair healthy.

Young Doesn't Necessarily Mean Healthy

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Time at college is often looked back on as the good ol' days, but new reports indicate new trends in college aged kids might be making them old before their time.

A recent survey of 800 University of New Hampshire undergraduates found some unhealthy traits in the students surveyed. More than two-thirds of the women were not meeting their RDI's of iron, calcium or folate. While well over 50 percent of the male students had high blood pressure and 8% had metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of symptoms used as predictors for future heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In essence, those undergrads would be getting a low grade for overall health.

Public health experts fear that if this trend continues, this age group will begin to experience chronic diseases at earlier ages than previous generations.

So if you are in college and feel like you are missing those three vital nutrients, you should know the RDI for iron is 18 mg and you can find iron in beef, tofu and sun dried tomatoes. Look for folate in leafy greens and beans. Remember to eat your calcium since it is more effective at strengthening your bones if the mineral comes to you as a food source not a supplement.

Fit's Tip: Take advantage of the free gym your college has to offer. Facilities at colleges and universities are great, and when you graduate, trust me, you are going to miss having access to the free fitness center on campus.

Source