This guide outlines how to improve iron levels quickly, with the top tips about what to combine for better iron absorption.
Iron is an important trace element. Among other things, it is involved in the formation of the red blood pigment hemoglobin and thus in the transport of oxygen in the body.
An iron deficiency occurs when people do not provide enough iron to the body through food or when the intestine does not absorb the iron sufficiently. This is the most common cause of anemia.
Overview: how to improve iron levels quickly
An iron deficiency becomes noticeable, among other things, through fatigue and poor performance, impaired growth of hair and nails and cracked corners of the mouth. If you are showing these symptoms you need to know how to improve iron levels quickly.
Summary
- Iron is a trace element and is involved, among other things, in oxygen transport.
- Fatigue, dizziness and headaches are typical symptoms of iron deficiency.
- Women suffer from iron deficiency more often than men.
- To remedy iron deficiency, preparations or dietary supplements should also be used.
- Meat, legumes, lentils, beetroot, flaxseed, oatmeal and eggs are good sources of iron.
How much iron do humans need?
Women should consume around 15 mg of iron daily through their diet, while men are recommended around 10 mg. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents in growth phases and competitive athletes have an increased iron requirement.
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How to improve iron levels quickly: cut foods that block iron
Various plant and animal foods contain a particularly high amount of iron. The body can absorb iron particularly well from animal products. Vitamin C additionally supports iron absorption in the body. Other substances, however, can block iron absorption. These include:
- Black tea (due to tannins)
- Cocoa, chocolate, spinach, rhubarb (through oxalic acid)
- Coffee, herbal tea, red wine (through polyphenols)
- Vegetables, rice, legumes (through phytates)
- Dairy products (through calcium and phosphates)
- Whole grain products (through fiber)
It is almost impossible to remedy an existing serious iron deficiency through diet alone. Here you can provide balance with tablets or iron preparations in liquid form. In severe cases of deficiency, when iron in the liver is very low, iron injections may be necessary.
An oversupply of iron through diet is hardly possible. However, people with an iron utilization disorder (hemochromatosis) can have elevated levels. They can increase the risk of heart and liver diseases as well as diabetes mellitus.
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What is iron deficiency?
Iron deficiency is when the hemoglobin concentration in the blood count is:
- less than 12 g/dl blood in women
- less than 13 g/dl blood in men
During menstruation, women excrete more iron than men and are therefore much more likely to suffer from a deficiency.
Iron: It depends on the type
In fact, many foods contain iron . When absorbed, however, it depends on the form in which the trace element is present, and this is important for how to improve ferritin levels.
- Heme iron: The divalent heme iron (Fe2+), which is mainly found in animal products such as fish and meat, is easy for the body to absorb. Since divalent iron is in a dissolved form, it has high bioavailability.
- Non-heme iron: On the other hand, the trivalent non-heme iron (Fe3+), which is predominantly found in plant foods, is less readily available. Since it is tightly bound, the body has difficulty absorbing it.
So, for example, while iron is found in poultry, red meat and fish as easily usable heme iron, the body is less able to absorb iron from plant materials.
How to improve iron levels quickly: increase absorption with vitamin C
Vitamin C helps the body better absorb iron from food and is extremely helpful in how to improve iron levels quickly. Small amounts of vitamin C are sufficient to significantly improve the absorption of non-heme iron (iron absorption).
In order for the trivalent iron to be better absorbed by the body, it must be reduced to Fe2+. During the conversion, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) acts as a corresponding reducing agent. Just one glass of orange juice with around 70 milligrams of vitamin C more than doubles the absorption of iron in the body.
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How to combine iron and vitamin C correctly
If you want to use strategies for how to improve iron levels quickly, it makes sense to eat plant-based foods containing iron and vitamin C together. It doesn’t always have to be orange juice.
The pseudo-grain quinoa (8 milligrams of iron per 100g), for example, forms a good basis for various salads. Supplemented with the vitamin C bombs of peppers, parsley and tomatoes and served with a dressing made from lemon juice and olive oil, the dish quickly replenishes your iron stores.
You should also try these combinations if you need to ensure that you get enough iron:
- Bread with raw vegetables: Whole grain rye bread has a high iron content (around 2.0 milligrams per 100g), while peppers and tomatoes have a lot of vitamin C. If you also top your sandwich with a few strips of pepper or small tomato slices, you can easily improve non-heme iron absorption.
- Salad dressing with lemon juice: This is exactly how you can mix a dressing with lemon juice for a lamb’s lettuce (around 2.0 milligrams of iron per 100g). In winter you can spice up spinach and kale with a little lemon juice.
- Spice up muesli with fruit: A good idea is to combine iron-rich foods such as oatmeal , nuts and pumpkin seeds with fruit, such as kiwi, strawberries or pineapple.
- Basil and tomatoes – a snack for hot summer days: The high vitamin C content of tomatoes increases the bioavailability of the iron contained in basil (around 3.2 milligrams per 100g).
Chart showing best foods for iron
| Food | Iron content per 100g (approx.) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| liver | 30 mg | If meat or offal is an option, liver is particularly suitable as it has the highest iron content of all animal foods. By the way, duck liver is at the top, with a content of 30 mg per 100 g. The bad reputation that animal offal has long had is partly outdated. Since animals are slaughtered younger than before, the storage of toxins in the liver etc. is rather unlikely. |
| Pumpkin seeds | 12 mg | Pumpkin seeds are ideal as a snack in between, for example when you become tired during work, as just a handful of them covers the majority of your daily iron requirements. There are 12 mg of iron in 100 g of pumpkin seeds. But pure is by far not the only way to use the healthy seeds; they also work well in many types of pastries and salads. |
| sesame | 10 mg | In Central European cuisine, sesame is often underestimated and is only important as an extra on pastries. Sesame seeds contain 10 mg of iron per 100 g and also zinc and vitamin E. |
| legumes | 8.6 mg | Soybeans have an iron content of 8.6 mg per 100 g and are therefore, like other legumes, a reliable supplier of the important trace element. However, many legumes also contain phytic acid, which limits iron absorption, which partially negates the positive effect. |
| linseed | 8.2 mg | Prescribed for digestive problems because of their high fiber content, flaxseeds also have a decent iron content of 8.2 mg per 100 g. Similar to wheat bran, they have a fairly neutral taste and are therefore suitable as an addition to yoghurt or muesli. |
| Quinoa | 8 mg | Quinoa seeds have also become more popular in recent years because they are gluten-free. As an alternative to pasta or rice, they go well in many dishes. In any case, one argument is the high iron content of 8 mg per 100 g. |
| Pistachios | 7.5 mg | Pistachios have always been a much healthier, albeit slightly more expensive, alternative to chips. They contain 7.5 g of iron per 100 g and are also characterized primarily by unsaturated fatty acids. The disadvantage, however, is that commercially available pistachios are usually heavily salted. |
| Egg yolk | 7.2 mg | While egg white inhibits absorption, egg yolk would actually be a reliable source of iron. 100 g contains 7.2 mg of the trace element. |
| chanterelles | 6.5 mg | Mushroom varieties sometimes differ greatly in terms of their iron content. While mushrooms contain just 1 mg of iron per 100 g, chanterelles have an impressive 6.5 mg. If they are dried, this value even increases. |
| Oatmeal and wheat bran | 4.6 mg | To provide enough energy, a healthy breakfast can benefit from oatmeal. They contain at least 4.6 mg of iron per 100 g and can give you a bit of a boost in the morning. However, the flakes are clearly subject to wheat bran, which in the same amount has an impressive 16 mg of iron. Although this is not suitable for raw consumption, it can be stirred into yogurt, for example. |
Conclusion
Iron is crucial to good health for everybody, so understanding how to improve iron levels quickly can be extremely beneficial. Follow our strategies above and see how to improve iron levels fast.
Photo by Geraud pfeiffer
