Iron deficiencies are not at all good for your health but how you cook your food is one area that can help. Those who discover problems with low iron find that it takes quite a while to bring their levels back up to healthy numbers again. Taking a Ferrous Gluconate or Ferrous Sulfate supplement can help but can take several weeks before you start to feel better. What else can help?
Increase Your Iron Intake with an Iron Skillet
Cooking with an iron skillet can increase the iron in your food substantially. Here’s a look at just how much. Taking care of your iron skilled includes seasoning it and wiping it clean after use instead of submerging it in hot and soapy water. Here’s a helpful iron skillet care and iron skillet reseasoning article. Seasoning your skillet regularly can help prevent food from sticking and enhance the results of your food.
High Iron foods are important as well as getting enough Vitamin C. Your health status will dictate if some of these foods are a good idea or not (pregnant women, for example, shouldn’t ingest liver, so be careful)
- liver
- mussels
- beef
- sardines
- turkey
- beans
- iron enriched breakfast cereals and oatmeal
Beyond the foods you eat, increasing your intake of vitamin C is important because it enables your body to absorb the iron.
Iron Precautions
Constipation can be a side effect of a substantial increase in iron because stool can become hard. Be sure you’re getting plenty of fiber to enable you to keep having easy bowel movements. Aim for 25 grams of fiber a day with plenty of water consumed as well.
You don’t want to overdo it otherwise you could have an overload of iron in your body which could be toxic and lethal. If you’ve been diagnosed with an iron deficiency it’s important to closely monitor your iron levels with your physician.
How much iron is recommended?
Check out this iron requirement article for guidelines. Being pregnant, and other health issues are factors.
Tags: anemia, boost iron, cast iron skillets, iron deficiency, iron levels, iron rich foods
May 6th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Good article.
Knowing folks on both sides of the spectrum with respect to iron levels, maintaining the right iron level cannot be overstated. Those with Rheumatoid Arthritis will often have the need for Ferrous Glutonate to correct anemia brought on by one of the common treatments used to fight the condition, Methotrexate. With anemia, a person will feel completely without energy.
On the other side of the coin, those with hemochromatosis, a condition in which too much iron is absorbed and retained by the body, can develop arthritis, liver disease and thyroid disease. Just make sure before attempting to increase your iron levels, that yours are not normal already.
May 6th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Good advice, Wellescent.
Thanks for commenting!