Why do pregnant women really need iron & bull; hello healthy

It is very important to maintain your iron levels during pregnancy. If you don't get enough daily iron intake, you will easily feel tired and develop infections. In addition, the risk of a baby born under normal weight increases.

What is iron?

Iron is used to form hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to organs and tissues. When you are pregnant, your body produces an additional supply of blood for you and your baby. The body will need extra iron for the formation of this blood supply and also to support the acceleration of your baby's growth.

Why is consuming iron so important?

If you don't get enough iron from food, your body gradually takes it from your iron stores, putting you at increased risk of anemia. Iron deficiency during pregnancy is very common. It is estimated that half of all pregnant women worldwide are deficient in iron.

According to experts, anemia that results from iron deficiency in the first two trimesters is associated with a twofold risk of your baby being born prematurely and three times the risk of low birth weight. Fortunately, iron deficiency is easy to prevent and treat.

Most doctors check in the first trimester and again in the third trimester to make sure anemia has not occurred. If your blood count is low, your doctor will prescribe you an iron supplement as a companion to the iron fortified prenatal vitamin for the rest of your pregnancy.

When should you take iron?

You should start taking iron supplements at a low dose (30 mg per day) from your first pregnancy consultation. In most cases, you will get iron at this level in your prenatal vitamin.

You need at least 27 milligrams (mg) of iron every day during your pregnancy. While you are breastfeeding, consume at least 9 mg of iron daily if you are 19 years or older. Nursing mothers 18 years of age or younger need 10 mg of iron.

Other foods that contain iron

Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Animal liver has the highest concentration of iron, but because it contains unsafe amounts of vitamin A, it should be avoided during pregnancy. If your diet doesn't contain animal protein, you can get iron from nuts, vegetables, and whole grains.

There are two forms of iron: non-heme iron , which are found in plants (as well as meat, poultry, and fish), and heme iron , which is found only in animal products. Heme iron more easily absorbed by your body (iron-fortified foods and supplements provide non-heme iron). To make sure you are getting enough iron, eat a variety of iron-rich foods every day.

Food sources that contain heme-iron include red meat, poultry and fish. To make it easier to measure the size, 3 ounces of meat is about the same size as a deck of cards.

• 3 ounces of lean beef: 3.2 mg
• 3 ounces of outside beef: 3.0 mg
• 3 ounces roasted turkey, red meat: 2.0 mg
• 3 ounces roasted turkey breast: 1.4 mg
• 3 ounces of roasted chicken, dark meat: 1.1 mg
• 3 ounces of grilled chicken breast: 1.1 mg
• 3 ounces of halibut: 0.9 mg
• 3 ounces of outer pork: 0.8 mg

The source containing non-heme iron :

• 1 cup of ready-to-eat fortified cereal: 24 mg
• 1 cup fortified instant oatmeal: 10 mg
• 1 cup edamame (boiled soybeans): 8.8 mg
• 1 cup cooked lentils: 6.6 mg
• 1 cup cooked kidney beans: 5.2 mg
• 1 cup green beans: 4.8 mg
• 1 cup lima beans: 4.5 mg
• 1 ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds: 4.2 mg
• 1 cup cooked black beans or pinto: 3.6 mg
• 1 tablespoon molasses sugar syrup: 3.5 mg
• 1/2 cup raw tofu: 3.4 mg
• 1/2 cup boiled spinach: 3.2 mg
• 1 cup of prune juice: 3.0 mg
• 1 slice of whole wheat or white bread: 0.9 mg
• 1/4 cup raisins: 0.75 mg

Here are some tips on how to get optimal iron intake from the foods you eat:

• Cook in an iron pot. Moist and acidic foods, such as ketchup, can absorb iron better this way
• Avoid drinking coffee and tea with meals. They contain compounds called phenols which interfere with iron absorption. (great idea to stop consuming caffeine during pregnancy.)
• Eat foods rich in vitamin C (such as orange juice, strawberries, or broccoli), especially when eating vegetables that contain iron such as beans, because vitamin C can increase iron absorption by up to six times
• Many healthy foods contain iron inhibitors, which can reduce the amount of iron the body absorbs in foods eaten at the same time. Phytates in whole grains and legumes, oxalates in soy foods and spinach, and calcium in dairy products are examples of iron inhibitors. There is no need to eliminate these foods from your diet. It is enough to eat using "iron enhancers" - foods that contain vitamin C or an amount of meat, poultry, or fish.
• Calcium in addition to dairy products will reduce iron absorption. So if you are taking calcium supplements or antacids that contain calcium, eat between meals, not at the same time as meals.

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