Iron, like a Lion in Zion!

Must go to Jamaica soon and
connect with my heritage!

Thought I'd actually write a blog about nutrition which I haven't done for a while! I was feeling quite tired and sleeping excessively about a month ago after leaving my job so I went to my doctor to check my iron and vitamin B12 levels to rule out anaemia.

Turned out I was not anaemic, my red blood cell count was normal, my sleep patterns had just been disrupted by having no regular routine. My B12 levels were quite high (because I supplement it) and my iron (ferritin) levels were within the normal range but a little on the low side of average. Given that I'd been eating quite appallingly and neglecting my diet over the winter due to stress and comfort-eating, this was hardly surprising.  Since leaving my job I've had much more time and motivation to pay attention to my diet and I'm aware of ways to alleviate this, (just need to actually do them!) I'm going to try a bit harder with my diet and hopefully soon I will be iron, like a lion in zion (whatever that means!).

When considering removing meat from the diet, iron is commonly thought of as an area of concern.  Although I agree it's always good to be conscious of the necessity of replacing nutrients when cutting something out of the diet, iron is not, in my opinion the biggest concern with a plant based diet.

Red meat and liver (ugh) often spring to mind as some of the main sources of iron but it is also found in high amounts in a very wide range of plant foods.  

For a long time prior to doing my course I'd read a lot of books and evidence-based information about nutrition and so I was shocked to see how biased most of the lecturers we had were with regard to vegetarians and vegans and anaemia.  

Studies have shown that iron deficiency anaemia affects meat eaters and vegans equally and that it is just a generally common problem, particularly for pre-menopausal women.

Although red meat is a source of well-absorbed iron, its high levels of animal hormone residues can contribute to hormonal disturbances associated with heavy periods (the primary cause of anaemia in women). This is one of many potential reasons why there is more to maintaining healthy iron levels than simply eating red meat.

What do we need iron for?

Iron is a trace mineral, meaning it's needed in very small quantities but getting the right amount (not too little or too much) is crucial for health.  It's primarily stored in haemoglobin in our red blood cells and helps to transport oxygen around the body (yep, pretty important!). It is also needed for normal immune function, cognitive processes and cellular activities in the body requiring enzymes. Requirements vary depending on age and gender (women who are pregnant or of child-bearing age need more).

Signs of low iron status:

hope that's not too gross
the inside of your eyelid should be
red and not pale

• Tiredness/Exhaustion
• Getting breathless easily
• High heart rate (with insufficient red blood cells the heart has to work harder to transport oxygen around the body)
• Paleness (as opposed to redness under the eyelid)
• Poor immunity
• Brain fog, slowed mental processes
• Hair falling out
• Brittle, weak nails

Good plant sources of iron: Lentils, beans, chickpeas, nuts, seeds, particularly pumpkin seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, green superfoods (spirulina, chlorella) seaweeds (Wakame is nice with miso soup or in stir fries) dark chocolate (yey!) wholegrains, molasses (nice with porridge and baked goods like gingerbread), dried fruit (apricots, figs,prunes)

'But plant based iron is not well absorbed!'

Whilst is true that meat and offal contains haem iron which is more readily absorbed than that from plant sources, if we were to obtain the recommended daily allowance of iron solely from meat, this would entail eating several portions of red meat daily. I'm sure even most of the vegetarian-hating health professionals would agree this would be undesirable health and money-wise. So what's the solution then? To obtain all or the majority of one's iron from plant sources and adopt measures to ensure it's absorbed as well as possible.

Sprouted bread found in health food shops contains iron

in a better absorbed form

Currently 'paleo' diets based on the diet of our ancestors which exclude grains and legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans) are popular. Whilst I don't disbelieve those who say this diet works for them I don't think it's necessary to eliminate grains order to have healthy iron levels.

It is said that grains and legumes are high in a substance called phytic acid which reduces mineral absorption (including that of iron). When I first heard about this in one of my nutrition lectures I was freaking out, thinking 'What am I going to do? literally everything I eat is high in phytic acid!'. Then I realised I didn't have any symptoms of all of these mineral deficiencies I should supposedly have according to my phytic acid-laden diet. Why is this? Because provided that we eat a nutritious diet overall and have a a well-functioning digestive system our bodies are able to neutralise its effects with our beneficial gut bacteria and digestive enzymes. (It's a different situation for those with digestive disorders such as coeliac disease or IBS). Sprouting and/or soaking grains and legumes helps to reduce intake of phytic acid and sourdough and sprouted bread contain more absorbable iron. What is often not said is that phytic acid is actually a beneficial antioxidant and its ability to bind to minerals is a blessing as well as a curse, as it facilitates the excretion of heavy metals from the body.

For more information on this see: https://selfhacked.com/2013/10/11/phytic-acid-the-ultimate-anti-aging-compound/#11_Phytic_Acid_Can_ProtectThe_GutFrom_Toxins

 But anyway..... Phytic acid schmitic acid!

Tips for having healthy iron levels

M&S do some nice
non-bitter dark
chocolates!

• Vitamin C is a well-known enhancer of iron absorption. Ensure a good intake by including a variety of fresh raw or lightly cooked fruit and vegetables daily and always try to have some with iron-containing meals.  If you are very stressed or exercise heavily you might need more than you are able to obtain from food (the adrenal glands that produce the stress hormones use a lot of vitamin C) and supplementation may help.
• Use a cast iron pan for cooking to increase the iron levels in your food. They are not cheap but you can buy them at large supermarkets and they are a good investment.
• Could you have low stomach acid levels?  If you find yourself feeling uncomfortably full a lot of the time and food takes a long time to digest, it's possible your stomach is lacking in acid which is crucial for efficient absorption of minerals.  This was the case with me and when I addressed it, the difference in my energy levels was amazing.  (See my old blog: http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/my-journey-with-nutritional-therapy.html), If you suspect this may be the case with you, a nutritional therapist can help you address this.
• Reduce tea, coffee and fizzy drink consumption as these all impair iron absorption.  Always drink these away from meal times.
• If you take calcium or zinc supplements, take them away from iron rich meals
• If you're someone cutting down on meat or going vegetarian, bear in mind that dairy products contain little to no iron and interfere with iron absorption so try to make meals centred around beans, lentils, nuts and vegetables rather than cheese. See my previous blog for more tips on how to incorporate these into your diet 
• http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/thyme-for-rice-peas-how-why-of.html
• Cooking using garlic and onions (yippee!! the basis of almost 100% of my meals!) may help to increase the absorption of plant-based iron.
• Before resorting to iron supplementation, do get your levels tested by your GP.  As I've mentioned, iron deficiency or anaemia is just one of endless possible reasons for being tired and it's not a good idea to supplement it if not necessary. Iron supplements might worsen any existing bacterial or yeast infections and an excess of iron is also associated with health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. (I've never taken iron supplements that I can remember). If you have a digestive disorder it's crucial to take steps to heal the gut first.

using a cast iron pan may help to increase the
 iron content of your meals

• If you have tried everything for years and still have low iron levels, it's worth investigating whether you have a condition such as coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, in rare cases bowel cancer, a bacterial infection or any other underlying cause. 
• If you're a female who has anaemia caused by heavy periods, addressing the hormone imbalances (oestrogen dominance) may help to alleviate this although it's not an overnight process. See: http://mg.pim2.co.uk/womens-health-issues/heavy-periods/ for more info.

Now for the fun part! I've come up with a recipe for gingerbread cookies using iron-rich ingredients! Even healthier baked goods should not form the basis of one's diet but they'd make a great healthier treat for those PMS cravings!

Iron-rich gingerbread snaps! 

6oz oats (ground in a food processor)
2oz flour (whatever flour floats your boat)
2oz brown sugar (I used coconut sugar which is a low GI alternative)
2oz chopped dates
1 tablespoon molasses (also called black treacle)
1tsp ginger
1tsp cinnamon
4oz coconut oil

• Soften the coconut oil and mix in the brown sugar, dates and molasses
• Mix in the oats and 1 oz of the flour
• Press into a dough with your hands
• Sprinkle the remainder of the flour onto a clean surface
• Roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter or your hands to shape the cookies
• Bake in the oven at Gas mark 4 for 15-20 minutes

They are free from dairy, eggs, hydrogenated fat and nuts and can easily be made gluten free by using gluten free oats and flour.  The oats provide fibre, the molasses and dates provide some iron and other minerals, coconut oil is a healthy fat suitable for baking, ginger is an anti-inflammatory and cinnamon helps to stabilise blood sugar.

To be enjoyed without guilt!