- Studies have shown that vegetarians
and non-vegetarians have the
same risk of iron deficiency.
- [Narrator] According to the
World Health Organization,
iron deficiency is the most
common nutrient deficiency
in the world,
and it is one of the
few mineral deficiencies
that continues to afflict
industrialized countries.
A WHO study, conducted from 1993 to 2005,
showed that 30% of women and 12.7% of men
across the globe showed signs
of iron deficiency anemia.
This serious disorder is triggered
by longterm, low iron absorption.
What does iron do in the body?
Iron helps create hemoglobin
and myoglobin proteins
that bind oxygen to red blood cells.
Iron plays a significant role
in the circulatory system
and assist in delivering oxygen
to your body and muscles.
Iron also helps create hormones
such as luteinizing
hormone and growth hormone,
which play integral roles
in reproductive health.
How much iron do we need?
Can vegans get enough?
The recommended dietary allowance of iron
for adult men is eight milligrams a day.
For adult women, the required amount
is higher at 18 milligrams,
since women lose a lot of
iron during menstruation.
The National Institutes of Health,
a leading US health agency,
recommends multiplying
these recommendations by 1.8
when following a vegan diet.
Dr. Pamela Fergusson,
a registered dietitian,
recommends wholefoods
and getting your iron
levels tested regularly.
Lentils provide 6.6
milligrams of iron per cup.
Six ounces of tofu contains,
roughly, 3.5 milligrams.
- Then from greens, kale,
collard greens are wonderful sources.
- [Narrator] Contrary to Popeye legend,
there is not a lot of
bio-available iron in spinach
due to inhibitors in the
plant called oxalates.
There are still plenty
of vegan iron sources.
Great news for chocolate lovers too,
one ounce of 70% dark
chocolate contains 10%
of daily iron needs.
Adding blackstrap molasses to your cereal
or oatmeal is another tip,
just make sure you eat
the oatmeal well before
or after a coffee break.
- Coffee and tea also
inhibit iron absorption,
and so, you don't want
to eat an iron-rich meal
and wash it down with coffee or tea.
- [Narrator] Dr. Greger of
NutritionFacts.org notes,
there's a 12% increase in cancer risk
for patients that consume
iron from animal products.
Plants, on the other hand,
contain non-heme iron
and offer plant-based protections
from metabolic syndrome
and protects against heart disease risk,
according to the doctor.
Increasing vitamin C can
boost iron absorption.
- This study showed eating vitamin C
with your plant source of iron
can increase the
bioavailability by three times,
surpassing the
bioavailability of heme iron.
- [Narrator] Foods like Swiss
chard, broccoli and potatoes
are all excellent choices
as they contain both iron and vitamin C.
Do vegans need supplements?
Consult your primary care physician
or a certified health specialist
before making any dietary changes.
That's it for today.
What are your favorite iron-rich foods?
Let us know in the comments.
Remember to subscribe and
hit the notification bell.
New videos every Tuesday and Friday.
