Iron-rich foods: the best to avoid deficiencies

 Often tired, a little anemic, slightly plotted ... Maybe you lack iron? However, by choosing the right foods and adopting the right reflexes, it is possible to avoid deficiencies. Advice and explanations from Laura Azenard, naturopath, to regain 'iron health'.

Iron is a real player in the transfer of oxygen to the muscles. That's why when you run out of iron, you can quickly feel very tired or feel a 'spinning head' sensation. So where to find iron in our diet? How much do we need? How do you know if you are deficient? What are the tips to boost iron assimilation? We take stock with Laura Azenard, the naturopath.

What is iron used for?

 "Essential to the proper functioning of the body, iron is a real Swiss army knife," says Laura Azenard. It serves the constitution of hemoglobin and contributes to the production of myoglobin (a protein close to hemoglobin that is able to transport our oxygen reserve to our muscles and which intervenes in the constitution of enzymes playing a crucial role in many metabolic reactions). "This antioxidant also participates in the detoxification of drugs, pesticides, pollutants and synthesizes catalase, an enzyme capable of countering free radicals (toxic molecules that are at the origin of premature aging of our cells). But beware, iron can be 'pro-oxidant' if it is in excess," continues the naturopath.  

Iron deficiency: who is most affected? 

First of all, you should know that iron deficiency is much less common than magnesium. "Today, we can say that we are almost all deficient in magnesium. Iron deficiencies mainly affect women - especially during menstruation or pregnancy - growing children, vegans, but also 'long-term' athletes such as marathon runners, but also all people who are victims of hemorrhage or disruption of the intestinal microbiota," explains Laura Azenard.

How do you know if you are iron deficient?

"If you feel tired, you tend to lose your hair, have a pale complexion, brittle and striated nails, you feel migraines, memory problems, loss of attention, impatience in the legs (restless legs syndrome), abnormal shortness of breath during exercise or if you are very often cold... You potentially have an iron deficiency,' says our expert. And iron deficiency can lead to 'iron deficiency anemia' which is characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood or the hemoglobin content. But to make a diagnosis of anemia, it is necessary to check the iron level via a blood test. For this, a determination of ferritin - protein, allowing the storage of iron - is carried out. However, when used alone, this marker is insufficient to diagnose anemia. Ferritin levels may be on the rise during inflammation, for example. Ferritin must be combined with another much more accurate marker called 'transferrin', another protein that carries iron in the blood. 

What are the daily iron requirements? An adult man needs 8 mg per day of iron, while a woman (settled, that is, before menopause) needs 16 mg per day.

Food: where to find iron?

Our diet offers two types of iron:

• Heme iron is contained in animal proteins such as red meats, fish and crustaceans (clams, oysters), offal (liver, kidneys), cold cuts (black pudding)... Heme iron is relatively well-assimilated during digestion: it is estimated that it is 25% bioavailable (the bioavailability of dietary iron corresponds to the percentage of dietary iron consumed that crosses the intestinal barrier). Namely red meats or fish have a good content of zinc, a trace element that participates in the proper assimilation of iron. 
• non-heme iron is contained in fruits, vegetables, and legumes. These products have a lower iron content and the latter is much less absorbable than heme iron: it is estimated that it is bioavailable up to 10%. Namely, among foods containing non-heme iron, there are algae. The latter contain so-called complexed iron, that is to say, that this iron has the particularity of being surrounded by plant molecules allowing it to be much better assimilated by the body. Spirulina, wakame, or dulse are algae that have a good content of complexed iron. But how to consume them? Spirulina can be found in food supplements, powder, or glitter that can be sprinkled on soups, salads, steamed vegetables, or compotes. But beware, 'spirulina is a real 'sponge' and tends to soak up everything in the air or water with which it is in contact, including pollutants. It is, therefore, better to choose it with the logo 'Spiruliniers de France', a label that respects organic commitments and a healthy growing environment', recommends the naturopath.

What are the foods richest in iron?

FoodExert holder (in mg per 100g)

Dulse: 35 mg

Spirulina: 28 mg

Black pudding  23mg 

Wakamé: 17mg

Soybean:16 mg

Pork:15 mg

Sesame:14 mg

Clams:10 mg

Kidneys:9 mg

Lenses:9 mg

White beans:8 mg 

Chia seeds:8 mg

Chickpeas: 5 mg

Spinach :3 mg

Duck: 3 mg

Tips to boost iron absorption 

Iron from plants is much better absorbed if it is combined with foods rich in vitamin C such as kiwis, red fruits, citrus fruits, guavas, peppers, fennel, spinach, cabbages... That we ideally choose the freshest possible, seasonal, local, and organic. "The idea is to combine legumes with vegetables rich in vitamin C: thus, we will not hesitate to prepare a pan of lentils with peppers for example!", advises the naturopath. He added that "everything that is fermented will boost the assimilation of iron, such as sauerkraut, cabbage or sourdough bread that will also increase the digestibility of food". 

Whole grains (whole grains, brown rice) and legumes (beans, lentils) contain in their husks phytic acid, a biomolecule that prevents the proper assimilation of nutrients. It is therefore advisable to soak whole grains and legumes (or germinate them) before cooking them to remove phytic acid. 

We must be wary of too mineralized waters (such as Hepar or Contrex) which provide a surplus of minerals (zinc, magnesium, calcium ...). The latter can slow down the assimilation of iron. 

It is also necessary to be wary of tannins present in tea, red wine, or coffee that can alter the assimilation of iron of vegetable origin. It is considered better to drink a tea (ideally green or sencha, because these teas are oxidizing and rich in vitamin C) or a coffee between 30 minutes and 1 hour after the meal. 

The nutritional quality of all minerals is altered beyond 100 ° C, hence the interest of turning to soft cooking (smothered, 'Marion's vitalizer', soft steam ...) and low temperature. Namely, vitamin C is even more fragile since it deteriorates from 60 ° C.

But by the way, what is the risk in case of iron overload?

"We must be wary of heme iron since, as our body assimilates it very well, some people - overconsuming red meat or deli meats - can have an iron overload and have risks of developing low-grade inflammation (the intestine is damaged and becomes porous)," says the expert. And if the body is overloaded with iron, there is a greater risk of eventually developing hemochromatosis (a genetic disease linked to excessive iron absorption), cardiovascular or respiratory diseases, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes. Iron overload is relatively rare and can be treated if managed early. This problem affects some men and women over 50 years of age who will eliminate iron less well. "It is advisable to limit your consumption of red meat to 500 g per week maximum, the equivalent of two large ribs of beef, and to limit your consumption of cold cuts to 150 g per week," recommends the High Council of Public Health.

Remember:

• Iron is antioxidant when the body has a normal level of it. On the other hand, if it is in excess, it becomes very oxidative and can lead to fatigue, a feeling of weakness, and develop certain complications affecting the heart, liver, and endocrine organs.
• Whatever the minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, it's all about balance. It is necessary to favor a diet rich in plants, optimize its intake of vitamin C and take care of its intestine, an excellent regulator of the assimilation of iron.