Ask The Nutritionist Questions

Ask the Nutritionist home

Ask The Nutritionist - Iron

How can I make sure I am getting enough iron?

Iron is a mineral that’s needed in very small amounts, but is nevertheless essential for our wellbeing. It’s needed to make red blood cells and is a vital component of haemoglobin, which gives blood its red colour and transports oxygen around the body to the cells. When dietary iron intakes are low, less haemoglobin is made so there’s less capacity for carrying oxygen to the cells. This means our cells don’t work as effectively, resulting in a condition called iron deficiency anaemia. Typical symptoms include extreme tiredness, fatigue, breathlessness on light exertion, dizzy spells and an unnaturally pale complexion.

Currently, around 40 percent of women aged 19 to 34 years in the UK have iron intakes below the minimum amount needed to stay healthy and so are at risk of iron deficiency anaemia. Teenage girls and pre-menopausal women are at particular risk as they have higher nutritional needs for iron than men and post-menopausal women due to losses during menstruation. Fortunately, this condition can easily be prevented in most people through eating a healthy, balanced diet that contains plenty of iron-rich foods.

Red meat is one of the best sources of iron – in fact, almost a fifth of the iron in our diets in the UK comes from meat and meat products. Other good sources include oil-rich fish, eggs, bread, green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, dried fruit and fortified breakfast cereals.

What are the best ways to increase iron absorption?

The iron in animal foods such as red meat is more easily absorbed and used by the body than the iron in plant foods such as vegetables and bread. However, vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron from food, particularly from cereals, fruit and veg, so eat vitamin C-rich foods and iron-rich foods together. For example, have a glass of orange juice with a bowl of breakfast cereal to boost the absorption of iron from the cereal. Or add a vitamin C-rich tomato to an egg sandwich. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits and their juices, berries, blackcurrants, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, peppers and green leafy veg.

In contrast, the absorption of iron is reduced by naturally occurring compounds found in tea and coffee. This means it’s better to wait around half an hour after eating before drinking tea and coffee. Phytates in unrefined cereals such as raw bran can also hinder the absorption of iron so it’s best to avoid sprinkling raw bran onto breakfast cereals. And although spinach contains some iron, it also contains a substance that makes it harder for the body to absorb the iron from it.

Return to top