If you're always tired and feel sluggish even though your sleep hours aren't few and haven't changed, you might have an iron deficiency, and there are many ways to boost your iron levels through nutrition and healthy food, Fitness Garage always cares about girls' health, and our main goal is to understand proper nutrition for all girls.
Iron comes in two types: heme iron and non-heme iron. Animal foods have both types, while plant foods only have non-heme.
Animal sources:
Animal sources of iron:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Oysters
- Turkey
- Eggs
Plant sources:
Plant sources of iron vitamin:
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Dark-colored vegetables
- Lentils
- Pumpkin seeds
- Soy products
Ways to boost iron absorption:
Iron absorption depends on two things: the type of food and how you take it. It’s hard for your body to absorb non-heme iron, but heme iron is easier for the body to absorb. Let’s look at ways to increase iron absorption:
- Soaking grains: Soaking grains in water, then rinsing and cooking them makes them easier to digest, reduces phytic acid, and helps iron absorption during digestion. Grains like brown rice do this.
- Cooking: Vegetables that have iron need to be cooked well, like spinach and others. You can also use them in juices and sauces.
- Mixing foods rich in vitamin C with those rich in iron: Foods rich in calcium shouldn’t be cooked with iron because calcium competes with it. But foods high in vitamin C help iron absorption, which is good for the body. So cook beans with tomatoes or citrus.
Make sure you get your essential vitamins and minerals, to avoid some health problems you might face, So you always feel energized and better at doing your daily activities.
