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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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Diet and Nutrition |
Iron inhibitors09/08/2009 |
I want to increase my iron level so I can donate blood. There are certain foods I should eat to increase it but certain foods that block iron absorption like spinach, whole grain, coffee and soy. Can I eat these foods if I wait after eating a high iron food and how long do I have to wait because every day I eat whole grain and I eat a lot of spinach.
Kudos to you for wanting to donate blood and improve your iron status!
To increase the amount of iron absorption from your food.
(1) choose foods that supply "heme" iron which are absorbed the best. Heme iron comes from animal sources such as liver, organ meats, shellfish, red meats, fish, and poultry.
(2) consume "non-heme" foods (from plants such as dried beans, dark green leafy vegetables, and dried fruits), but realize we absorb this type of iron less efficiently then heme foods.
(3) eat foods rich in vitamin C* *(such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit, strawberries, and tomatoes) along with meat or cooked dry beans. The body can absorb up to 3 times more iron than usual doing this. So, try adding strawberries to your iron-fortified cereal in the morning; adding sliced tomatoes to your sandwich, or having a small glass of orange or grapefruit juice with a meat meal.* *
As you mentioned, iron absorption can be inhibited by different factors. Heme iron foods are not affected significantly by most of these factors. However, non-heme iron absorption is effected (in varying amounts) by (1) fiber content (only if excessively high), (2) phytic acid content (found in whole grains), and (3) tannins and polyphenols (found in tea and coffee). Tannin content of teas varies, so the effect will vary too. It is recommended to wait about 1 1/2 hours after taking an iron supplement or iron-rich meal before drinking these beverages. Also consider that if you take calcium supplements in high-doses, this can also interfere with non-heme iron absorption (so it is best not to take them at the same time).
So, as long as you consistently eat a well balanced diet (and include heme-iron food sources regularly), YES you can eat whole grains and spinach without worrying about your iron absorption. Both foods are wonderfully nutritious and can be part of a good diet. A "waiting period" would not really be reasonable or effective to help you meet your goal.
I hope that this information is helpful to you. Good luck!
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Jane Korsberg, MS, RD, LD Senior Instructor Department of Nutrition School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University |
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