Is your health ironclad?
Iron is very important to your health. Iron not only carries oxygen to your cells and muscles, it also helps produce some of your hormones.
By answering the following questions, you can find out if your current diet is providing you with enough iron.
Learn more by reading the following:
- Dietary iron
- Iron-rich foods
- Iron Absorption
- Daily recommended intake
- Iron deficiency
- Excess of iron
Dietary iron
Dietary iron from animal sources (heme iron) is much more easily absorbed by the body than iron from vegetable (nonheme iron) sources. It is therefore recommended to add beef to your menu to fulfil part of your body's need for iron. Vegetarians should pay very close attention to iron-rich foods other than meat, such as vegetables, breakfast cereals and whole grain breads. To improve the absorption of iron from vegetable sources, eat these food items together with foods rich in vitamin C. For example, drink a glass of orange juice with your cereal for an iron-enriched breakfast, or add tomatoes, red peppers and oranges to your spinach salad for a winning combination! Make sure to always include at least one portion of fruits and vegetables in each meal.
Iron-rich foods
Iron is found in a multitude of foods in varying quantities. The table below lists the main sources of iron:
| Meat and Meat Substitutes | Portion | Iron in mg |
| Pork liver | 100 g (3 oz.) | 18 |
| Chicken liver | 100 g (3 oz.) | 8 |
| Beef liver | 100 g (3 oz.) | 7 |
| Beef or lamb, cooked | 90 g (3 oz.) | 2.3 |
| Roast chicken (white meat) | 90 g (3 oz.) | 1.0 |
| Roast chicken (dark meat) | 90 g (3 oz.) | 1.2 |
| Veal or turkey, cooked | 90 g (3 oz.) | 1.4 |
| Oysters, cooked | 6 (average size) | 5.0 |
| Mussels, cooked | 20 (small size) | 4.0 |
| Canned kidney beans | 250 ml (1 cup) | 3.3 |
| Lentils, boiled | 250 ml (1 cup) | 7.0 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 60 ml (1/4 cup) | 5.0 |
| Chick peas, boiled | 60 ml (1/4 cup) | 5.0 |
| Légumes et fruits | Portion | Quantité de fer (mg) |
| Brussels sprouts, boiled | 125 ml (1/2 cup) | 1.4 |
| Artichoke hearts | 125 ml (1/2 cup) | 2.3 |
| Spinach, boiled and drained | 125 ml (1/2 cup) | 3 |
| Snow peas | 125 ml (1/2 cup) | 1.6 |
| Green peas, boiled | 125 ml (1/2 cup) | 1.3 |
| Grain Products | Portion | Quantité de fer (mg) |
| Multigrain bagel | 1 | 1.8 |
| Whole-wheat English muffin | 1 | 1.7 |
| Breakfast cereals | Portion | Iron in mg |
| All Bran® or wheat bran | 250 ml (1 cup) | 9.3 |
| Bran Flakes® | 250 ml (1 cup) | 5.6 |
| Corn Flakes® | 250 ml (1 cup) | 3.5 |
| Raisin Bran® | 250 ml (1 cup) | 7.9 |
| Shreddies® | 250 ml (1 cup) | 8.5 |
| Quinoa , cooked | 175 ml (3/4 cup) | 4 |
| Special K® or Cheerios® | 250 ml (1 cup) | 3.2 |
Iron Absorption
A portion of meat weighing 90 g (3 oz.) is the size of a deck of cards
While vitamin C increases the absorption of iron, some foods can have the opposite effect:
- Fibre contained in whole-grain cereals and nuts
- Calcium and phosphorous in dairy products
- Tannins in coffee, tea and nuts.
Since these foods also provide nutritional elements that are essential to your health, eliminating these foods from your diet is not recommended. The solution is to refrain from consuming these foods when eating your main sources of iron and adding a source of vitamin C (like citrus fruits) to your meal to increase iron absorption.
Daily recommended intake of iron in mg per day
| Age | Male | Female |
| Children from 1 to 3 | 7 mg | 7 mg |
| Children from 4 to 8 | 10 mg | 10 mg |
| Children from 9 to 13 | 8 mg | 8 mg |
| Teenagers from 14 to 18 | 11 mg | 15 mg |
| Adults from 19 to 50 | 8 mg | 18 mg |
| Seniors from 51+ | 8 mg | 8 mg |
| Pregnant women | --- | 27 mg |
| Women who are breastfeeding | --- | 9-10 mg |
Iron deficiency
The main consequence of an iron deficiency is anemia. The symptoms of anemia are general weakness, fatigue, a weak resistance to cold and a weakened immune system. Anemia is quite widespread throughout the world with estimates that up to 15% of the population suffers from this condition that affects mainly women, due to their monthly menstrual blood loss, and children.
Excess of iron
An excess of iron can also lead to major health issues that are manifested through hair loss, joint-related problems and inflammation of the liver, among others. Dietary supplements increase the risk of toxicity if your iron intake in food is not taken into consideration when calculating the amount of supplements taken daily. Supplements can also lead to constipation, which can be controlled by drinking more fluids, eating more dietary fibres and being physically active.
Dietary supplements are beneficial when our diets alone are not enough to meet our daily needs. In these cases, supplements are used to complement a healthy diet and not as a substitute for good nutrition.
This questionnaire is not a nutritional assessment. The results are to be used as indicators only. If you have any questions or if you would like a more complete evaluation, consult a nutritionist.
Self-evaluation