OHerbal & Nutritional Sources of Bioavailable Iron
What is iron, and why do we need it?
Iron is a mineral that helps growth and development. The body uses iron to make hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body), and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles (nih.gov).
What causes low iron?
- Heavy menstrual periods
- Bleeding in the digestive tract: ulcer, colon cancer, regular use of medicines such as aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen and naproxen
- Frequent blood donation
- Frequent blood tests — especially in infants and small children
- Injury or surgery
- Urinary tract bleeding
- Inadequate intake or increased requirements
- Undiagnosed Celiac Disease
- Medical conditions leading to intestine inflammation or chronic blood: ulcers, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis
Who may have problems absorbing iron?
- Those with intestinal and digestive conditions: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease), Helicobacter pylori infection
- History of gastrointestinal weight loss surgery such as gastric bypass or gastrectomy.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women — increased needs for fetal growth
- Endurance athletes — increased iron losses
- Women and children are more susceptible to anemia.
“The World Health Organization estimated worldwide prevalence of anemia to be 42% in children, 29% in non-pregnant women, and 38% in pregnant women in 2011.1. In 2013, iron deficiency (ID) was identified as the predominant cause of anemia among the 1.93 billion anemic people (27% of the world’s population) globally, making iron deficiency anemia (IDA) a major global health issue. The people most at risk are women and children, regardless of socioeconomic status or geography (Ning & Zeller 2019).
Types of iron:
heme — iron derived from meat sources
non-heme — iron derived from plant sources (to all my plant based buddies — continue reading, there are helpful plant based suggestions for you after this section <3).
Iron absorption:
- The fastest way to increase iron levels is with heme form iron — iron from meat sources.
- Co-consumption of meat, fish, or poultry increases absorption of plant-sources of iron (in other words, the presence of heme iron increases your ability to also absorb nonheme iron. If you are a pescatarian (or a vegetarian open to fish), having fish at the same time as high-iron plants will improve absorption.
- Some vegetarians are open to oysters, because they are bi-valves. Oysters are one of the highest sources of iron.
For my plant-based peeps!
Bioavailable non-heme (plant) sources of iron:
- Seaweeds are a bioavailable non-meat iron source!
- Dulce seaweed is mild tasting and blends well in broths.
- Fruits like strawberries, watermelon, figs, raisins, prune juice, dried apricots, dried peaches
- Veggies including peas and string beans
- Sweet potatoes
- Leafy greens including kale, spinach, dandelion greens, collards, chard, and beet greens
What about beans, whole grains, nuts & seeds?!
Although these foods do contain iron, they also contain anti-nutrients that inhibit the absorption, including phytates, polyphenols and tannins. Soaking beans and grains can help lower antinutrient content but will still yield a lower iron count than other foods mentioned above.
It’s time to get herby with it!
Luckily, there are plenty of herby friends that contain bioavailable plant-based iron, including:
-Chickweed
-Burdock
-Catnip
-Marshmallow root
-Red Raspberry Leaf
-Yellow Dock — especially helpful for restoring iron levels in those with heavy menstrual flow
- Goji Berries
The herbs listed above can be worked with as tea or tincture, whichever is easier! Goji berries can be eaten as a stand-alone snack, or it can be added to granola, oats, or smoothies.
Lastly, a note on plant-based iron supplement absorption:
If you rely on iron supplements made from plant sources of iron, make sure to take it on an empty stomach — food reduces your ability to absorb iron supplements.
Helpful links & Resources:
/https://www.plantnutritionwellness.com/plant-based-iron-sources-absorption-deficiency-plant-nutrition-wellness
Powers, Stephens, & Hill (2015). Fortified breakfast cereal consumed daily for 12 wk leads to a significant improvement in micronutrient intake and micronutrient status in adolescent girls: a randomized controlled trial. /https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-016-0185-
Ning, Shuoyan & Zeller, Michelle P. (2019). “Management of Iron Deficiency” 6https://ashpublications.org/hematology/article/2019/1/315/422602/Management-of-iron-deficienc
D’Andrea, Georgia (2022). Plant-Based Iron Sources, Absorption, Deficiency. yhttps://www.plantnutritionwellness.com/plant-based-iron-sources-absorption-deficiency-plant-nutrition-wellness
2016. BMC Nutrition Journal. “Fortified breakfast cereal consumed daily for 12 wk leads to a significant improvement in micronutrient intake and micronutrient status in adolescent girls: a randomised controlled trial” https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-016-0185-6
Please note: I am not a doctor or a medical practitioner. This information is food for your brain only and is not meant to replace medical advice. Always discuss the addition of herbs and supplements with your doctor, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding, taking medication, or have a medical condition.
