FOOD - DIETARY IRON

Types of iron in the diet

We get our iron from the diet partly as non-haem iron because Fe⁺⁺/Fe⁺⁺⁺ is incorporated in various dietary compounds, and partly as haem-bound iron. In adults (with sufficient iron status/stores) as little as 2-3 % of the iron from non-haem compounds is absorbed, whereas close to 35 % of the iron in haem-bound sources is absorbed.

Haem iron;
is found in meat, poultry and fish/seafood (as myo- og haemoglobin). An average of 40% of the iron in these animal foods is haem iron.

Non-haem iron;
is found in meat, poultry, fish/seafood, eggs and milk (as e.g., lactoferrin, ferritin, haemosiderin) and in cereals, vegetables and fruit/berries (as ferri-complexes with and without organic acids).

In our society most of the ingested non-haem iron comes from cereals (mainly bread products), whereas a smaller portion comes from milk products, fruits and vegetables. Meat, poultry and fish are the most commom sources of haem-bound iron. Daily intake of haem iron in the Nordic countries: 7 - 12% of the total iron.

Figure Foods high in iron

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Figure Diagram of iron sources in Norway 2003 [Ref 6]

Iron content in various food items

Photo wheat field

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Iron fortification of Norwegian brown whey cheese was abolished in 2001, possibly contributing to a decrease in iron consumption:

• Energy 9,3 MJ and iron 10 mg/day/person (1999-2001)
• Energy 9,3 MJ and iron 9 mg/day/person (2003)

Iron absorption from foods (methods - see Appendix.