IRON CONTENT IN FOOD

Figure Iron content of the diet (worker families in cities) over the years . [Ref 14]

Question: What caused the peak on this curve?

Answer: The food during and after the Second World War contained little fat and sugar. Thus the nutrition density of vitamins and minerals was higher.

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Extraction rate (of wheat) and content of nutrients [Ref 1]

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Different types of wheat have different strengths, i.e baking properties. Traditionally, Norway has imported most of the wheat from USA and Canada. This wheat has allowed 80% extraction rate ('utmalningsgrad' in Norwegian), which means that the wheat flour ('siktet hvete' in Norwegian) retains more vitamins and minerals than at lower extraction.

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Iron in wine Iron in wine - see Appendix.

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Effect of cooking utensil on iron content of the food

Cooking time and pH increase the iron content in foods made in iron pots.

Note:

Never make apple sauce, tomato sauce or stewed rhubarb in an iron pot! The iron from the pot contaminates the food.

(Acid foods, e.g. rhubarb, should not be cooked in utensils made of aluminium either. The inside of of aluminium utensils has a protective layer of aluminium oxide. However, acid dissolves the protective layer. The result will be rhubarb with an aluminium content and a 'polished' utensil.)