POPSUGAR UK

Always Tired? The 1 Thing That Could Be to Blame

09/03/2018 - 10:24 AM

You get plenty of sleep and you're not catching a cold, yet lately you feel run-down, have crazy headaches, and can't focus at work. It may have something to do with how much iron you're getting in your diet.

An adult woman should aim for 18 milligrams of iron a day [1], and if you're not reaching this goal, you may have anaemia, an iron deficiency. Our bodies need iron to make haemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. If your cells aren't getting oxygen, that explains the tired, foggy head. You may also notice pale skin, brittle nails, and cold hands.

You may be at risk for low levels of iron if you tend to have heavy periods, are pregnant, or just had a baby. Other at-risk individuals include endurance athletes [2], vegans, and individuals who donate blood frequently or have a condition that makes it hard to absorb nutrients from food. You can take iron supplements, but they may cause an upset stomach, heartburn, or constipation, so it's best to get your iron from food. Check out the list below to see which foods contain the most iron so you can be sure to get your fill.

Food Amount Iron (mg)
Apricot, dried 85 grams 1.2 [3]
Artichoke 1 medium 0.7 [4]
Asparagus, cooked 90 grams 0.8 [5]
Barley, cooked 155 grams 2.1 [6]
Beans (chickpeas) 120 grams 1.6 [7]
Beans (kidney) 85 grams 2 [8]
Beans (lima) 85 grams 2.3 [9]
Beans (pinto) 85 grams 1.8 [10]
Broccoli, cooked 80 grams 0.5 [11]
Brown rice, cooked 195 grams 0.8 [12]
Cashews 35 grams 2 [13]
Cashew butter 2 tbsp. 1.6 [14]
Egg 1 large 0.7 [15]
Flaxseed, ground 1 tbsp. 0.4 [16]
Fortified cereal such as Shreddies 180 grams 13.5 [17]
Ground beef 1 patty 1.9 [18]
Kale, raw 60 grams 1.1 [19]
Lentils 100 grams 3.3 [20]
Molasses 1 tbsp 0.9 [21]
Oats 90 grams 3.4 [22]
Oysters, cooked 90 grams 10.2 [23]
Peanuts 30 grams 0.6 [24]
Peanut butter 2 tbsp. 0.6 [25]
Pine nuts 35 grams 1.9 [26]
Potatoes, with the skin 1 small 1.5 [27]
Pumpkin seeds 65 grams 5.2 [28]
Quinoa, cooked 185 grams 2.8 [29]
Raisins 35 grams 0.8 [30]
Salmon 90 grams 0.9 [31]
Shrimp, cooked 90 grams 2.6 [32]
Soybeans (edamame) 80 grams 1.8 [33]
Spinach, raw 60 grams 0.8 [34]
Steak 90 grams 3.2 [35]
Sun-dried tomatoes 15 grams 1.2 [36]
Sunflower seeds 40 grams 1.8 [37]
Sunflower seed butter 2 tbsp. 1.6 [38]
Tofu, extra firm 1/2 block 4.3 [39]
Turkey (dark meat) 85 grams 2.1 [40]

Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/You-Getting-Enough-Iron-43871967