Importance of Iron to Human Health and Vitality
Iron is a mineral found in every cell in the body. It is vital for general good health and for physical and mental well being. Iron has three main functions in the body:

• To carry oxygen around the body – iron is part of the haemoglobin or oxygen carrying component of blood and carries oxygen from the lungs to wherever it is needed in the body
• Ensure a healthy immune system – infection-fighting cells require iron to defend the body against foreign organisms
• Energy production – iron is essential in the chemical reactions that produce energy from food

Iron deficiency may lead to fatigue, paleness, breathlessness and susceptibility to infections.

Sources of Iron
The best sources of iron are meat, fish and chicken however vegetables, fruits, bread and some grain products, especially wholegrains contain iron. For example a 3oz serving of beef liver contains 5.8mg of iron, a slice of whole wheat bread 0.9mg and half a cup of cooked spinach 3.2mg - USDA Database for Standard Reference, Release 13(November, 1999).

Dr Debby Demory-Luce, a registered dietician with the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Centre at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston suggests:

“ you could eat more iron-rich foods, such as beef liver, lean meats, salmon, iron fortified breakfast cereals, spinach and enriched breads, rice and pasta.”

Types of Iron
There are two different types of iron available to our bodies depending on what foods we eat. They are called:

• Haem iron – found in red meat, seafood and poultry
• Non-haem iron – sourced from bread, fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and eggs

• Sources of Vitamin C such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and green, red and yellow peppers
• Haem-iron rich foods such as meat, fish and poultry
  On the other hand, there are certain factors which will decrease iron absorption from non-haem foods:
• Consuming large amounts of tea or coffee with meals (the tannins bind the iron)
• Excess consumption of high fibre foods or bran supplements at the same time as the non-haem foods are consumed
• A high intake of calcium at the same meal (calcium should be taken at a different time)

Iron Deficiency
The World Health Organization estimates that 600 -700 million people worldwide are iron deficient. This likely makes it the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. In the Western world, iron deficiency is usually a result of not getting enough of the mineral in our daily diet. People most commonly at risk are:

• Menstruating women
• Pregnant and postpartum women
• Toddlers aged 1 to 4 because of their rapid growth
• Adolescents because of their growth and erratic eating habits
• Strict vegetarians because they do not consume iron from haem foods
• Long distance runners whose demanding physical exertion may damage red blood cells

Approximately 8% of western women are estimated to be iron deficient. Women are particularly at risk with the average iron intake of women in the USA being 12.3 mg well below the daily-recommended allowance of 15g. Dr Mike Nelson a nutritionist at King’s College, London University believes that between 10 – 20% of younger girls are effected:

“ In tests we have carried out we think that the IQ in British girls who get enough iron in their diets and those who are anaemic can mean the difference of a whole grade in school exams.”

Dr Nelson goes on to explain that girls who go on diets or switch to a vegetarian lifestyle are particularly at risk.