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How to Improve Iron Absorption for Pregnancy

Parisa Wang


After the initial excitement or shock of seeing a positive pregnancy test, how many of us are aware that mom’s nutritional foundation sets up the future health of our babies. Pregnancy nutrition matters for baby and mum as it:

  • Supports brain development

  • Supports skeletal development

  • Reduces risk of birth defects

  • Prevents low birth weight

  • Reduces preterm delivery

  • Reduces risk of gestational diabetes

  • Reduces risk of obesity later in life

  • Reduces risk of chronic disease later in life

  • Decreases nausea and other symptoms associated with pregnancy

  • Decreases unnecessary weight gain

When you are pregnant, eating the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats, as well as micro-nutrients like iron, folate, calcium, and vitamin D is crucial!

The average female adult requires between 10 and 18 mg of iron a day. During pregnancy, Iron needs are increased by 1.5 times. This increase can be even higher and even higher for vegetarians. The increase need for iron is because of the large increase in red blood cell production which is necessary to support the growth and development of baby, and the placenta. Low iron is linked to preterm delivery, low birth weight, and impairs the mother’s thyroid function. However, everyone’s iron needs can be variable depending on their constitution, their iron level at the time of getting pregnant, how many pregnancies have had, how close together they have been and the symptoms that they have during pregnancy.

The symptoms that you may experience during pregnancy that are associated with iron deficiency include:

-Constipation -Nausea -Anemia -Fatigue -Heartburn


Food Sources of Iron


It’s always best to get your nutrients from food first.


Iron can be found in animal foods that originally contained hemoglobin, such as red meats, fish, and poultry (meat, poultry, and seafood contain both heme and non-heme iron). Your body absorbs the most iron from heme source. Iron from animal foods have the highest absorption rate and bioavailability. The amount of iron in animal foods include:

  • chicken liver (12.8 mg / 100 gm)

  • beef liver (6.2 mg / 100 gm)

  • ground beef, 75% lean (2.36mg/100 g)

  • turkey, dark meat (2.30mg/100g)

  • lamb, shank (2.11mg/100 g)

  • haddock (1.35mg/100 g)

  • halibut (1.07mg/100 g)

Even though if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, don’t worry. Iron can be found in grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds as well. Vegetarian food sources of iron contain non-heme iron, which takes a little longer time to convert in your body. The amount of iron in vegetarian sources includes:


· lentils (6.6 mg/ cup)

· soybeans (8.8 mg / cup)

· dates (1.8 mg / cup)

· spinach, boiled (6.43mg/cup)

· olives (4.44mg/cup)

· shiitake mushrooms (3.59mg/cup)

· brussel sprouts, boiled (1.87mg/cup)

· broccoli, steamed (1.37mg/cup)


Iron is a key aspect to healthy pregnancy, but there are other nutrients that are also important. Working with a nutritionist during this important time of your life will help you:

  • Optimize your nutrition

  • Understand whether you’re getting enough iron and other nutrients in your diet

  • Ensure that your weight gain is optimal – not too little; not too much

  • Relieve fatigue and other iron deficiency symptoms


Personalized TCM Treatment & Nutritional Support

A vital force of life (called Qi in TCM) is the foundation to health. What is optimum varies from person to person and is dependent on your underlying conditions, your age and health status.

If you have questions about what type of TCM treatment or nutrition plan is best for your body type, we would welcome the opportunity to work with you. For more information on my approach to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), nutrition, check out our blog or check out our bio on the Yan’s Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine website https://www.yantcm.ca .

To book an appointment, please contact Yan’s Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine Clinic at 647-982-5240 or email us c.yan@yantcm.ca.


References:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/iron/



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