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We all need iron to survive and thrive. But especially women, children, and vegetarians!

Iron deficiency is exactly how it sounds – insufficient iron levels in the body. Low iron levels carry a variety of symptoms that can hinder your day-to-day life, with two main symptoms being lower energy levels (fatigue) and feelings of weakness. For a more extensive breakdown of what iron is, daily intake requirements per age, and other symptoms, check out our last blog post on the topic.

It is important to get a proper diagnosis from your doctor, but it is equally as important to be consuming enough iron to prevent this type of anemia. Women, children, and vegetarians are three demographics more prone to anemia, for a multitude of reasons…

 

CHILDREN

For children, iron is essential to move oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, and if untreated, iron deficiency can affect a child’s growth and development. Children (especially the picky ones!) can experience a lack of iron-rich foods, which, in addition to a surplus of calcium consumption, can create lasting problems.

A glass of milk a day keeps the doctor away – but 3 cups a day keeps the iron away!

Milk interferes with the body’s ability to absorb iron. More specifically, 165mg of calcium from milk or cheese reduces iron absorption by 50-60%.

WOMEN

For women, low iron levels are usually caused by pregnancy, or heavier/longer than usual menstrual cycles. The average pregnant woman needs almost 30 mg of iron per day. That’s roughly double the average required intake for women aged 18-50. The demands of the growing fetus must be met!

VEGETARIANS

While vegetarians may consume as much iron as meat-eaters, they are still at a greater risk to develop anemia due to the type of iron they are consuming. Non-heme iron is not absorbed as easily by the body as heme iron, which is found in animal products. To compensate for this, vegetarians are generally advised to multiply iron intake by 1.8 times.

 

SOLUTIONS

But fear not! We don’t just come bearing problems… We brought the solutions as well. ?

PROFI protein contains 3.5mg of iron – that’s 19% of your daily requirement! It’s a kid-friendly, vegan-friendly, and downright delicious way to get your iron fix.

Whether mixed into chocolate banana bread bites, a smoothie, or veggie burgers, PROFI aims to provide all the necessary nutrients for all demographics.

Some other iron-rich foods to help reach your recommended daily intake are as follows:

  • Fortified cereals, rice, wheat, and oats
  • Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale
  • Dried fruits like raisins and apricots
  • Beans like lentils and soybeans
  • Plant-based protein powder

 

 

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