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The advantages of iron embody:

• Provides you power
• Contributes to muscle perform
• Helps the immune system
• Helps the reproductive system, with extra iron consumption really helpful throughout being pregnant
• Regulates hormone creation
• Improves focus and focus

How a lot iron do we want?

The Nutrient Reference Intake (NRI) for ladies of reproductive age is 14.8mg iron per day, with a further requirement really helpful throughout being pregnant. For males and non-menstruating girls, the requirement is 8.7mg per day.

Within the UK, iron deficiency is frequent, and significantly so amongst infants under two, teenage women, pregnant girls and the aged. In response to UK authorities surveys, nearly all of girls and women of menstruating age, and particularly these from low-income households, don’t meet their dietary goal.

Can we have now an excessive amount of iron?

Haemochromatosis is a particular genetic dysfunction that causes iron to construct up over time, resulting in extreme ranges. When you have a member of the family with haemochromatosis, try to be screened to find out if you’re in danger. It’s laborious to diagnose, however one of many signs is fatigue. In case you are feeling drained on a regular basis, it’s endorsed that you simply go to your GP and have a blood check earlier than taking iron dietary supplements.

Learn extra about this situation on the NHS website.

What elements would possibly counsel iron deficiency?

There are a variety of things that may counsel your iron ranges could also be low, which embody:

• Blood loss because of heavy intervals, peptic ulcers, haemorrhoids or by donating blood
• Elevated wants, reminiscent of being pregnant or intervals of fast development, like childhood and adolescence
• Insufficient quantities in your eating regimen – though many plant meals present iron, it is a little bit tougher to soak up, so be conscious of this when you observe a vegan or plant-focused eating regimen
• Poor absorption – decrease ranges of abdomen acid (brought on by atrophic gastritis, a situation that’s frequent within the aged; persistent diarrhoea; or extended use of antacids) might scale back your capacity to soak up iron

Do some meals intervene with iron absorption?

Some naturally occurring compounds present in sure meals are identified to inhibit the absorption of iron.

These embody:

• tannins present in caffeinated and decaffeinated tea, in addition to red wine
• phytates in wheat, beans, peas and lentils in addition to peanuts
• oxylates in meals like spinach, nuts, chocolate, parsley and rhubarb
• casein and sure types of calcium in dairy meals, together with yogurt, cheese and milk
• phosvitin present in egg yolk

How do I do know if I’ve iron-deficiency anaemia?

As your iron shops dwindle, your physique’s capacity to provide wholesome crimson blood cells will scale back, too. This ends in low numbers of crimson blood cells circulating within the blood, and is also known as iron-deficiency anaemia.

Chances are you’ll expertise signs reminiscent of:

• weak spot
• fatigue
• pale complexion
• breathlessness
• coronary heart palpitations
• an elevated susceptibility to an infection
• issue concentrating

As a way to diagnose iron-deficiency anaemia, your GP will request a full blood rely to evaluate crimson blood cells and a ferritin check to measure iron shops.

How can I guarantee iron ranges are satisfactory throughout my being pregnant?

Some mums-to-be don’t meet the increased need for iron throughout being pregnant – when you’re involved, please seek the advice of your GP or midwife.

Pregnant women ought to keep away from liver and any associated merchandise reminiscent of liver pâté, as these can include excessive ranges of vitamin A, which can be dangerous to a creating child.

Which meals are a supply of iron?

There are two types of iron present in meals:

• haem iron from animal meals, which is simpler for us to soak up
• non-haem iron present in plant-based meals

Vitamin C helps promote iron absorption, so combining vitamin C-rich meals like peppers with these supplying iron, like lentils, might assist assist iron absorption. Utilizing cast iron cooking pans might also assist assist your iron consumption.

Wealthy sources of animal-based (haem) iron

1. Liver
2. Beef
3. Lamb
4. Venison
5. Rooster, particularly the darkish meat, reminiscent of thighs
6. Clams, mussels and oysters
7. Eggs

Wealthy sources of plant-based (non-haem) iron

8. Beans and pulses, together with kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils and chickpeas
9. Leafy inexperienced greens, reminiscent of watercress and kale
10. Dried figs and apricots
11. Oatmeal and rye
12. Brewer’s yeast
13. Soybeans and meals constituted of them, together with tofu
14. Blackstrap molasses
15. Quinoa

Should you suppose you will have iron-deficiency anaemia, speak to your GP earlier than supplementing to make sure it’s applicable for you to take action.

Recipes which can be excessive in iron

Liver & bacon sauté with potatoes & parsley
Chicken liver & chorizo salad
Mussels with tomatoes & chilli
Speedy spaghetti with clams
Chinese-style noodles with tofu & hazelnuts
Chickpeas & roasted veg tagine
Moroccan lamb with apricots, almonds & mint
Rosemary balsamic lamb with vegetable mash
Pork with pears, prunes & verjuice
Puy lentil salad with soy beans, sugar snap peas & broccoli
Lemony rice & peas
Moroccan harira
Seven-cup muesli
Tofu & spinach cannelloni
Quinoa chilli with avocado & coriander

Loved this? Now learn:

Iron-rich food for vegetarians
Five nutrients every woman needs
Balanced diet for pregnancy
Food and hormones – what to eat during your period
What to eat during your menstrual cycle

In case your GP or medical practitioner advises an iron complement take a look at our evaluate of the best iron supplements.

This content material was up to date on tenth July 2025 by Kerry Torrens.

Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a Registered Nutritionist with a publish graduate diploma in Personalised Diet & Dietary Remedy. She is a member of the British Affiliation for Diet and Way of life Drugs (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Meals Writers. During the last 15 years she has been a contributing writer to various dietary and cookery publications together with BBC Good Meals.

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