Every cell in the body contains and requires iron, a mineral that is needed for all body function. Iron stores are carefully guarded by the body, when depleted, cause diverse symptoms.
Oxygen Transport and Storage
Approximately 71 percent of the body's iron is found in our red blood cells in the form of hemoglobin, a protein-iron compound responsible for carrying oxygen from our lungs to all of the parts of our body. Approximately 5.5 percent of our iron is found in a substance called myoglobin. This protein, a form of hemoglobin that is found in the muscles, carries, stores oxygen for the muscles. The iron helps hemoglobin, myoglobin to carry and hold the oxygen, and then release it for use by every cell in the body.
Energy Production
Iron is present in a variety of enzymes that help chemical changes take place throughout in the body. Iron-containing enzym is involved in the production of energy.
Food Sources: Foods that are highest in iron are meat, poultry, fish. Other substantial sources are eggs, breads, cereals, leafy vegetables, potatoes and other vegetables, fruit, and milk.
Most iron rich foods are animal in origin. For this reason, it can be tricky for vegans, vegetarians, man who avoid red meats to get enough iron in a day. Luckily, there are plenty of supplements we can take, but if you would rather get iron through our daily diet, you will want to incorporate some red meats and other foods rich in iron into our diet.
When you cook acidic foods in cast-iron cookware, iron from the cookware leaches out into the foods, increasing it is iron content considerably. In addition, vitamin C enhances the absorbability of iron in nonanimal foods, prevents it from being converted into its unstable form, which may cause oxidative stress, cell damage from free radicals.
Supplements
Iron is available as an individual supplement, as a part of many vitamin and mineral formulas. The most common form is iron sulfate, which is very inexpensive, but can be irritating to the digestive tract. I recommend iron glycinate, iron fumarate, iron gluconate, since they are less irritating to the digestive tract and less likely to cause constipation.
