Eating Disorder Service – iron and diet

Contact details

Bolton Eating Disorder Service 01204 462 785

Chester Eating Disorder Service 01244 397 755

Macclesfield Eating Disorder Service 01625 505 621

Trafford Eating Disorder Service 01925 248 475

Warrington and Halton Eating Disorder Service 01925 248 475

Wirral Eating Disorder Service 0151 488 7342

Why is iron important?

Iron is very important because it helps your body to make haemoglobin. Haemoglobin, or ‘Hb’, is the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen around your body and gives blood its red colour.

What can happen if you have low iron levels?

If the level of iron in your body falls, your red blood cells may not contain enough haemoglobin. At first you may not notice any difference, however, if the amount of haemoglobin falls further, you can start to feel tired. If the shortage of iron is more severe, you can feel unusually weak or breathless. This is called iron deficiency anaemia is the most common form of anaemia people have.

Where does iron come from?

You can usually get enough iron from a balanced diet as it is found in a variety of foods. There are two types of iron:

  • Haem iron which is found in animal foods and is better absorbed by your body than plant sources of iron
  • Non-haem iron which is from plant sources

What causes low iron levels?

Some causes of low iron can be pregnancy, mal-absorption or stomach ulcers which you should discuss with your GP.

In patients with eating disorders a low iron level is often due to a lack of foods containing iron within the diet.

Vegans and vegetarians need to take particular care to ensure that they get enough iron in their diet as it is less easily absorbed by the body from non-meat sources.

Which foods are good sources of iron?

  • Animal products: red meat, liver, fish, eggs, oily fish (sardines, mackerel) Seafood (shrimp, scallops, crab, mussels)

  • Legumes: lentils, Beans (white, kidney, black), Peas (chickpeas, black-eyed, split), tofu, hummus

  • Grains: fortified cereals, quinoa, , oatmeal, barley
  • Nuts and seeds: pumpkin, squash, pine, pistachio, sunflower, cashews, sesame
  • Vegetables:, spinach, kale, asparagus,
  • Fruit: dried apricots, dried prunes, figs
  • Other: prune juice, liquorice, yeast extract spread (marmite or vegemite), Tahini paste, cocoa powder

What helps your body absorb iron?

Vitamin C (sometimes called ascorbic acid) may help the body to absorb iron. Try to have Vitamin C rich foods with meals e.g. orange juice, peppers, dark leafy green vegetables, berries or citrus fruits. Avoid overcooking vegetables as this can destroy the Vitamin C.

What makes it harder for your body to absorb iron?

Tea and coffee may reduce the absorption of iron from foods. Avoid drinking tea/coffee directly before, after or with meals.

Calcium supplements and calcium from our diet can reduce iron absorption when taken in large quantities therefore try to have large amounts, e.g. 250ml of milk, in between meals. Speak to your pharmacist about the best time to take calcium supplements.

Example of a day

Breakfast: 1 cup of Bran flakes, 1 tablespoon raisins with 200ml of milk

Snack: 2 tangerines & 3 dried apricots or 2 digestives

Lunch: Cous cous, ½ tin mixed beans, peppers, onion, sweetcorn. ¼ tub houmous fruit (fresh, stewed or tinned in natural juice), dark chocolate

Snack: 125g pot of yoghurt or a handful of nuts

Evening meal: jacket potato, ½ tin tuna, mayonnaise, spinach 2 ½ tablespoons, 3 tablespoons peas, slice of fruit cake

Supper: hot chocolate made with 200ml milk