Iron is Essential for Life
July 5th 2009 19:06
Myoglobin (an oxygen-carrying protein containing iron) in the muscle tissue is related to blood haemoglobin in both structure and function. It supplies oxygen to the muscles and removes carbon dioxide. Iron increases resistance to stress and disease. It aids growth and prevents fatigue.
All healthy persons absorb about 2 to 10 % of iron from food, depending on its nature. But in persons who are deficient in iron, the amount absorbed increases up to 50% from ingested foods. The main sites of absorption are the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine. Absorption of iron is enhanced when there is a deficiency of iron in the body or there is a need for increased blood formation.
Iron is stored in the liver, spleen, and intestinal mucosa. The stores of iron as well as the iron released from the disintegration of red blood cells is available to the body for the synthesis of haemoglobin. Hence the iron in our bodies is used very efficiently, and is not normally used up or destroyed but converted and utilized again and again.
Iron is excreted along with the bile, stools, scaling of the skin, and sweating. It is, therefore, advisable to take an extra quantity of iron-rich foods during summer to compensate the iron loss.
Deficiency of Iron in diet may cause nutritional anemia, lowered resistance to disease, a general rundown condition, pale complexion, shortness of breath on manual exertion and the like. The person may suffer from mental depression and irritability.
Eating foods rich in iron regularly and keeping the gastro-intestinal tract healthy is one of the safest and more potent methods of preventing iron deficiency. The best food sources of iron are wholegrain cereals, pulses and legumes, and fish. The best plant sources are green leafy vegetables such as dry lotus stems, cauliflower greens, and turnip greens, fruits such as black currants, water melons, raisins, and dried dates.
Until Next Time...
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