Let’s face it…busy families don’t always eat as well as they should. It’s an unfortunate part of modern family life. However, eating convenient sometimes means not fueling our bodies with the elements they need…like iron. So what about Iron Deficiency and Your Family?! Here’s what you need to know…
DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored. All products mentioned on this page are compliments of FeraMAX®. All opinions of the products are my own.
Iron Deficiency and Your Family
Feeling tired or dizzy? You could be low in iron or suffer from Iron Deficiency. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Iron Deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, especially for women and teenaged girls, and it’s the leading cause of anemia.
I always read the labels when I go grocery shopping (yes, I do). I look for fibre, sugar, trans fats…and from now on I’m going to make a mental note to look for iron.
Here’s a tip: foods with an iron content of 1 mg to 5 mg per serving size is considered a “good” source of iron, and more than 5 mg per serving size is considered an “excellent” source of iron.
And I offer a variety of heme and non-heme iron choices in our family meals (as well as in the school lunch box). Heme iron, which comes from meat, poultry, and fish, is easily absorbed by the body and is less affected by the other foods we consume. Non-heme iron, which comes from plant sources, like fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, are better absorbed by the body when consumed with vitamin C or animal tissue.
I shop the grocery store from the outside square in…(outside square having the fresh produce, fresh fruits, meats & seafood). That outside square has a lot iron rich food choices for your family.
I curb the iron robbing foods for me and my kids. For example, having them wait an hour after a meal to drink milk to ensure their bodies are able to absorb the iron from their food. I only have 2 cups of tea a day (and I LOVE my tea). And we rarely, if ever, have cola.
Share: What do you eat or drink when you feel tired?…
FeraMAX® partnered with registered nurse and blood specialist, Leona Dove, to create The Iron Maiden – an online resource where you can learn more about Iron Deficiency, symptoms and treatment options.
Iam always really low on iron, sleepy and dizzy and suppose to take iron supplements but they make me so sick, not to mention other obvious problems, I do buy iron rich foods but did not know cheese, antacids and aluminum robbed you of it, one medication I take daily has aluminum in it, interesting. I just don’t know what to do but I am now anemic and don’t want to take the pills due to the side effects, any suggestions?
My suggestion would be to talk to your doctor. Or contact a iron expert like The Iron Maiden (contact info is on her blog – link above in post).
This is a great post. I have had problems with my iron levels. I have been turned down a few times from donating blood because my Iron level was too low to donate. I was told that cream of wheat is the fastest way to get iron into the blood. Thank you for the post and the link to the Iron Maiden.
wow I didn’t know iron levels impacted blood donation. Thanks for sharing that.
Thank you for this. I have a blood disorder that affects my iron levels severely, so I am pretty well informed about iron and nutrition, but there were a couple things in this post that surprised me. Had no idea that coffee and tea rob your body of iron! Thanks!
Coffee and tea rob your body of iron,I am shocked..thanks for this post my Mom just can not get her iron up…she drinks lots of tea….will tell her to cut back and see if it makes a difference
A lot of readers have commented the coffee and tea robbing body of iron was a shock.
A very informative post, thank you so much for all the info, some I already knew but others were new to me (tea and coffee for example)
I had no idea that salt robs your body of Iron. That salt is just bad, bad, bad!
We are very low salt here (because it is bad bad bad). And we just like the taste of real food on its own 😉
Babies who are over 6 months are prone to.iron deficiency especially if breastfed so now it is recommended to start meats along with cereals. I remember trying to get my six month-old to eat pureed meat, almost gagging myself 🙂 but it was important.
Geez when I had my 1st baby – I was told to introduce meats the very last. Amazing how things change.
I never realized that milk products robbed your body, thanks for sharing this. Definitely something good to know.
Looks like I need a multivitamin to counter my tea habit! We eat lots of the foods on your list, but also drink teas!
What a great informative post. I didn’t know coffee and tea could rob your body of iron. We eat a lot of red meat in our house.
I didn’t know about coffee and tea either (and I LOVE my tea)
This is great information to have on hand! I have problems with my iron sometimes!
My husband and son are meat lovers, so we aren’t low on iron! If the menu was entirely up to me, we probably would be.
I am so bad! When I am tired I go for Soda or chocolate. That is the worse thing to go to but it’s a creature of habit.
Break the habit…especially soda…I’ve heard nuts or a glass of water are great, and healthy, energy boosters.
I have a friend who has an iron deficiency. She tries to eat lots of fish.
Thankfully, my iron levels are pretty good! I will pass this info on to others! Thanks!
Chocolate can take away the iron in your body?? No what will I do I love my chocolate!! This was informative thank you!
Wow! This is all extremely valuable information. I didn’t know about chocolate either. That could be a problem.
All things in moderation right?… 😉
I have had low Iron for years. I have been trying to choose more iron rich foods to cook with. This is a great post.
Thanks Ann. It inspired me to go check my iron levels…
Coffee robs… Oh well … not giving up my coffee. Lots of good info though.
Maybe not give up…but perhaps reduce?
This was such a great post! Filled with tons of important information!
🙂
I had low Iron when I was a teen. I’ve never liked eating meat, so I suspect that had a lot to do with it. I’ve since learned to make up for not eating meat though, and get my Iron elsewhere. 🙂
I’ve had iron deficiencies off and on through my adult life. I make sure to eat red meat a couple times a week, take multi vitamins and eat spinach in a salad every single day!
Such good information. I will have to look at this more closely.
that’s a really good chart
I usually just go to sleep when I’m tired. I need to start finding more iron enriching foods.