From unbalanced diets to intense sporting activity, to pregnancy and breastfeeding, the causes of iron deficiencies are numerous and can affect anyone. As many as 3 out of 10 Italians suffer from this insufficiency, with a significant impact on the quality of life. Low iron levels also affect 40% of the world’s population, a problem that remains largely underestimated even in high-income countries.
International Iron Deficiency Day
On the occasion of International Iron Deficiency Day, experts provide a handbook for building a “strict diet” through food and dietary supplements.
What is iron used for?
International Iron Deficiency Day is celebrated on November 26, dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of this micronutrient and raising awareness of the effects of its lack. It is in fact an essential element to guarantee numerous vital functions of our organism: it intervenes in the production of red blood cells, it is a key component of hemoglobin and myoglobin, proteins responsible for the transport and supply of oxygen for all tissues, it assists the energy production processes of our cells, ensures effective functioning of the heart and brain.
One of the most common forms of nutritional deficiency
Despite its importance, iron deficiency is one of the most common forms of nutritional deficiency affecting approximately 40% of the world’s population and 10 million people in the United States alone. In New Zealand, however, 10.6% of women aged between 15 and 18 and 12.1% of those aged between 31 and 50 suffer from this problem. Even in Italy, 3 out of 10 people are faced with this deficiency.
Iron deficiency: the symptoms
Despite the high incidence, it is a largely underestimated problem, above all due to the difficulty in isolating the symptoms, which are generally non-specific. Tiredness, frequent headaches, shortness of breath, pale complexion, brittle hair and nails, but also irritability, poor concentration, greater exposure to infections are all problems apparently unrelated to each other, but which could have as a common factor an insufficiency of levels of iron.
Lack of iron: the causes
The causes of this deficit are various: for example physiological or occasional blood losses, defects in mineral absorption linked to particular pathologies or an inadequate diet poor in this micronutrient. “Iron deficiency is the most widespread mineral deficiency in the human species: unbalanced diets or intense sporting activity can accentuate it, while there are physiological situations (pregnancy, breastfeeding, menstrual cycle, growth and senescence) that could require an increase in its daily intake . Ferroguna, a food supplement from Guna, a leading player in the field of physiological nutraceuticals and systems medicine, provides 100% of the nutritional reference value established for iron, together with copper and vitamin C. Iron contributes to the normal formation of blood cells red and hemoglobin and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron and copper and contributes to the normal transport of iron in the body.” comments Dr. Franco Vicariotto, Surgeon, Specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Iron in foods
Iron is present in foods in two forms, as heme iron, which is found essentially in meat and fish, and as non-heme iron, present mainly in plant products. Heme iron is highly bioavailable (25-30%), whereas the absorption of non-heme iron is lower and more variable (1-10%). Thus, if the guidelines recommend an intake of between 10 and 18 milligrams daily, without sufficient reserves available, the human body does not have the energy to function correctly and the impact of the deficiency can translate into a worsening of the quality of life or even health. By adapting your diet, therefore, many iron deficits can be contained.
What to eat for a “strict diet”?
So what are the foods associated with a “strict diet”? In first place there is meat, not only red meat, but also turkey, chicken and guinea fowl. Liver and organ meats are rich in heme iron.
Silver medal for the fish: the blue one in particular has good percentages of iron. In this typology, sardines stand out, but also anchovies, swordfish, mackerel and tuna.
Egg yolk is also on the podium. In fact, chicken milk contains up to 2.7 mg of iron per 100 g; the duck one reaches up to 3.8 mg.
Among the vegetable alternatives, however, we find soy: for every 100 g, 8 mg of non-heme iron is calculated. Furthermore, legumes such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and mushrooms cannot be missing from the shopping cart, which in turn contain good doses of iron, especially the dried ones.
We then also add dried fruit to the shopping list, with pistachios and cashews among the most recommended and cereals such as bran. Spices and aromatic herbs also have (proportionally) very high quantities of iron: depending on your preferences you can opt for thyme, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, sage, fennel seeds.
Finally, excellent allies for our well-being are green leafy vegetables such as radicchio and spinach (overrated as a useful source).
When and how to resort to integration
Here, finally, is the handbook from Guna experts for building a “strict diet”, also focusing on integration:
Choose foods rich in iron, favoring a varied and balanced diet, including meat and vegetable solutions. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, balance your diet by obtaining iron from alternative sources to meat: legumes, nuts, whole grains, mushrooms are good vegetal sources, as are certain dried fruit (apricots and figs), accompanied by dark green leafy vegetables. Combine sources of vitamin C (example: lemon as a condiment, or other citrus fruits) or kiwi, so as to improve iron absorption. Avoid products that reduce iron absorption, such as dairy products, coffee and tea. Support daily iron needs through targeted supplementation, in case of decreased intake or increased needs. Be careful of “do it yourself”, you need to be followed by your doctor or supported by the advice of your trusted pharmacist or nutritionist.
READ ALSO: The healthy foods you thought were bad for you
Image by Mohamed Hassan / tookapic / Khemanun Rugyooprasert
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2023-11-26 08:07:00
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