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8 Vegetarian Sources of Iron

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Feeling sleepy and rundown lately? You may not be getting enough iron. A woman needs 18 milligrams a day. Beef, chicken, and fish are great sources, but if you aren't big into those foods or a vegetarian, check out these eight sources that will help you meet your RDI.

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Eye on Iron: Cast Iron Skillet

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:00:45 -0700

Due to our complex biology and Aunt Ruby's monthly visit, women need more iron than men. Adult women should aim for 18 milligrams of iron a day, and an easy way to boost your iron intake is to cook with a cast iron skillet.

Acidic and watery foods cooked in a cast iron skillet will absorb iron molecules from the pan, and this a safe way to meet your recommended daily allowance of the important mineral. There are a couple of caveats, though. The more you use your skillet the less iron your food will absorb, because a well-seasoned pan will have a thin layer of fat coating the pan. This seasoning will interfere with some of the iron absorption. The other is taste. The longer food cooks in a iron skillet, the more likely it is to take on a metallic taste from the pan. That being said, see how much you can increase your iron when you read more.

Researchers found that the iron in one serving of tomato sauce increased from under one milligram to almost 6 mg when cooked in an iron pan. The iron in scrambled eggs increased from 1.5 mg to 5 mg. Most surprising is applesauce. A 100-gram serving (about a quarter of a pound) went from .35 mg of iron to over 7 mg when cooked in cast iron. Do you use a cast iron skillet?

Where Do You Iron?

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:00:21 -0700

I iron in the kitchen because there happens to be a fold-out ironing board closet there. But, if I had my way, I'd iron in my bedroom . . . or my walk-in closet. I have a friend who irons on the floor of her living room. And of course, there are those with a dedicated "laundry room." How about you?
Photo by James Merrell

Calcium, Iron, and Fiber - Oh My!

FitSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

We eat for our health and to feed our our bones, blood, and bowels, but some nutrients just don't play well with others. Take calcium and iron for instance. Calcium can reduce your ability to absorb iron by as much as 50 percent. However, calcium only interferes with non-heme iron, which comes from plant-based foods, not with heme iron, found in meat. This interplay between calcium and iron is really only important if you suffer from anemia, because although short-term iron absorption is reduced by calcium, studies have found that iron stored in the blood is not.

When it comes to calcium, fiber binds to the mineral, reducing its absorption. Studies have found that wheat fiber reduces calcium absorption by about half. If you're like most folks and you aim to get a jump-start on fulfilling your recommended daily intake of fiber and calcium with your bowl of breakfast cereal, choose cereals that feature oats or other grains since they don't seem to block the calcium.

Ultimately, if you eat a well balanced diet and aim to eat your nutrients rather than find them in supplements, you're probably getting all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need. Just think of this post as a little food for thought.

Have You Ever Burned Clothes While Ironing?

FabSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:00:22 -0700

I have . . . one time.
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Do You Iron Your Table Settings?

CasaSugar — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:30:42 -0700

I don't always iron my clothing, but you can bet that if you have dinner at my house, the tablecloths, placemats, and napkins will be wrinkle-free. There's just something about a well-set table that makes me smile.

How to Get Your Daily Iron

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Getting enough iron is necessary for your overall health. Our bodies need iron to make hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. If your cells aren't getting oxygen, then you'll experience dizziness, fatigue, pale skin, low energy, and frequent headaches.

An adult woman needs 18 mg of iron a day. Doesn't seem like much, right? To see what I ate yesterday to reach my daily iron intake read more

Meal	Food	Iron (mg)
Breakfast	1 cup skim milk	.1 mg
	3/4 cup of Kashi Heart to Heart cereal	1.8 mg
	1/4 cup raisins	1.1
	1 tsp flaxseeds	.2
Lunch	1/2 cup tofu	6.2
	1/2 cup cooked broccoli	1
	1/2 cooked kale	2
	1/2 cup cooked quinoa	1.4
	1 small pear	.3
Optional Snack (for pre-workout)	6 oz. cup of Silk vanilla soy yogurt	1.4
Dinner	3 oz. grilled trout	4
	1 medium baked potato	1.9
	1/2 cup cooked asparagus	1
	Total iron intake	22.4 mg

It really isn't that hard to get enough iron. Just make sure to include a variety of legumes, soy products, eggs, meat, whole grains, seeds, and dark green veggies in your diet. If you're interested in knowing what other foods contain iron, check out this list.

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The Connection Between: Beets, Red Urine, and Iron

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Have you ever gone to the ladies room and were alarmed at what you saw? Red urine?! No reason to panic just yet. Think back to what you ate recently. Was there anything red? Yep, the beets are the culprit. I know it sounds weird but it's completely normal for some people to eat this veggie and notice a reddish color when they go to the bathroom. Ten to 14 percent of the population experience this genetic phenomenon known as Beeturia, but it can also occur if you eat a lot of other oxalic acid containing foods such as spinach, rhubarb, or chocolate along with your beets. If that's the case, then red urine is harmless, but it can also be a warning sign that you have an iron deficiency. If you're not getting enough iron, you may notice other symptoms such as feeling tired all the time, having a hard time concentrating, or pale skin and gums. A simple test at your doctor's office can help figure out if your iron levels are low. Once you start adding more iron into your diet, you'll have an increase in energy and the next time you eat beets, you won't have the scarlet effects.

Are You Getting Enough Iron?

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Have you been feeling sleepy, run down, dizzy, or low in energy? Are you feeling short of breath or having a hard time focusing at work? Have you noticed that your skin is pale, or you often have headaches? It may have something to do with how much iron you're getting in your diet. An adult woman should get 18 mg of iron a day and if you're not reaching this goal, you may have iron deficiency anemia. Our bodies need iron to make hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. If your cells aren't getting oxygen, then you'll experience the symptoms I mentioned above. You may also notice brittle nails and cold hands.

You may be at risk for low levels of iron if you tend to have heavy periods, are pregnant or just had a baby, if you are a long-distance runner, are a strict vegan, if you frequently donate blood, or if you have a gastrointestinal condition that makes it hard for you to absorb nutrients from your food. Meat, fortified cereals, dried beans, spinach, and potatoes with the skin are great sources of iron. To find how much iron they contain and see what other foods contain iron read more.

Food	Amount	Amount of Iron (in mg)
Fortified cereal	1 oz	4.5 - 7
Dried apricot	1/4 cup	1.5
Raisins	1/4 cup	1.1
Molasses	1 tbsp	3.3
Garbanzo beans	1/2 cup, cooked	3.4
Pinto beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lima beans	1/2 cup	2.2
Lentils	1/2 cup	3.2
Soybeans	1/2 cup	7
Tofu	1/2 cup	6.2
Sun-dried tomatoes	1/2 cup	9
Spinach	1/2 cup, raw	2.7
Kale	1/2 cup, steamed	2
Broccoli	1/2 cup, raw	1
Asparagus	1/2 cup, steamed	1
Potatoes, with the skin	1/2 cup	3.2
Pine nuts	1/2 cup	9
Peanuts	1/2 cup	3.9
Pumpkin seeds	1/2 cup	14
Sunflower seeds	1/2 cup	6.7
Flaxseed	1/2 cup	6.2
Ground beef	1 patty	4
Steak	3 oz	4
Turkey (dark meat)	3 oz	4
Oysters	3 oz, steamed	7.4
Trout	3 oz	4
Shrimp	3 oz	4
Egg	1 large	.7

Fit's Tip: You can take iron supplements, but they may cause an upset stomach, heartburn, or constipation, so it's best to get your iron from foods. It's rare, but you can also get too much iron. Extra amounts of iron in the body eventually build up to dangerous levels and can cause severe damage to organs trying to store the extra iron. So be careful not to exceed your daily amount too often.

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Casa Quickie: Speed Ironing

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:00:02 -0700

Of all the household chores on my plate, I've always had a strange affection for ironing. I could iron for hours on end with the nightly news going in front of me, kicking every crease and fold to the curb, with no complaints. But, I don't like to iron when I'm in a rush, because I'll undoubtedly burn something (myself included), and I don't get a chance to fully execute my ironing perfection. I was recently delighted by a trick for cutting my ironing time in half, though, allowing me a few extra minutes at obsessive-compulsive wrinkle elimination. By wrapping your ironing board in aluminum foil, the heat of the iron will be reflected onto the underside of your garment, so as you iron the fibers on both sides of your garment will be warmed. It's kind of an obvious one, but I'd never thought of it before. Good, huh?
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