How it helps
■ Needed to form red blood cells and muscles, to transport oxygen throughout the body and to help the body use energy.
■ It is needed for many enzymes, including catalase.
■ It is important for growth.
Where iron can be found
Eggs, fish, liver, meat, poultry, green leafy vegetables, whole grains and enriched bread and cereals. Other less rich sources include almonds, avocados, beets, brewers yeast, dates, kelp, kidney and lima beans, lentils, millet, peaches, pears, dried prunes, raisins, rice and wheat bran.
What are the signs of deficiency?
Anemia, brittle hair, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, fatigue, hair loss, mouth tissue inflammation and nervousness.
Comments
■ There have to be other minerals and hydrochloric acid in the stomach to ensure iron absorption.
■ Taking vitamin C can increase absorption by 30%.
■ Excessive amounts of zinc and vitamin E can affect
absorption.
Vitamins and Minerals: A Self-Hep Guide
This book provides a simple overview of the common vitamins and minerals available to help you supplement your diet when appropriate.
The information within this book is basic and does not claim to provide in any way comprehensive information of the subject matter but hopefully it can point you in the right direction when you need more information. All the information has come primarily from the government and authoritative bodies recommending daily intakes and pinpointing the limits of dosages per day. Experts in the field have tried to make the information easy to follow in this book.