Iron is a mineral that the body needs for proper development and growth, as it is responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. This mineral produces the proteins hemoglobin (found in blood) and myoglobin (found in muscles). The lack of iron in the blood can cause serious health problems and to avoid it, proper nutrition is important. On this occasion, María Teresa Zumarán, nutritionist at Clinica Ricardo Palma, gives us more information on the matter.

Main functions of iron

Iron fulfills the following functions in the body:

• Involved in oxygen transport
• Participates in the production of hemoglobin
• Increases resistance to diseases

Problems caused by iron deficiency

Iron deficiency causes serious effects in both children and adults:

• In growing children: negatively affects the process of brain maturation, learning ability and the level of immunity of the organism.
• In adults: Causes headache, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, depression, increased sleep, loss of appetite, and decreased work productivity. In addition, during the gestational stage, it represents a risk for both the baby and the mother.

Iron-containing foods

There are 2 types of iron that we can find in food:

Heme iron, of animal origin. It can be found in:

• Red meat
• Blue fish: Skipjack tuna (bonito), horse mackerel and Anchovy
• Animal blood
• Liver
• Beef Spleen

Non-heme iron, of vegetable origin. It can be found in:

• Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, Swiss chard, and kale
• Beans, such as lentils, beans
• Nuts
• Cereals like quinoa

It is advisable to eat these foods at least twice a week, taking into account that salads must have at least three colors, dark green being one of them. It is also important to dress salads with lemon, since it contains vitamin C which contributes to the absorption of this mineral. On the other hand, it is not recommended to consume tea, coffee or soft drinks because they prevent iron from being absorbed.

María Teresa Zumarán
Nutritionist at Clínica Ricardo Palma