Can brown sugar water, spinach, and wolfberry replenish iron? These four foods are the real iron supplements...

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered dietitian

Reviewer: Zhang Na, Associate Researcher, Doctoral Supervisor, Peking University School of Public Health

What can you eat to "replenish iron and blood, and have a rosy complexion"? This is a topic that many people are concerned about. In my country, men and women have different iron requirements, with men requiring 12 mg per day and women requiring 20 mg per day, so iron supplementation is particularly important for female friends.

As for foods that can supplement iron, there are actually quite a lot of them, but there are 7 widely circulated iron-supplementing foods that are not reliable. Many people may have believed them. Today we will take a look at what they are. In addition, the author will recommend 4 foods that can really supplement iron. The last one is super good for supplementing iron, so don't miss it.

01

Rumor: Drinking brown sugar water can supplement iron

Analysis: The iron supplement effect of brown sugar water is average.

When women have their periods, they often drink a cup of brown sugar water, not only to relieve discomfort but also to replenish blood. The iron content in brown sugar is 2.2 mg/100 g, while that in rock sugar is 1.4 mg/100 g and that in white sugar is 0.6 mg/100 g. [2] In comparison, the iron content in brown sugar is indeed slightly better.

However, the iron in brown sugar is non-heme iron, which has poor absorption and utilization. Moreover, we only use 1 piece of brown sugar to soak in water each time, about 5 grams, and the iron intake is about 0.088 mg, which is far from the recommended daily intake of 20 mg for women.

Like white sugar, brown sugar is also added sugar and your intake should be reduced as much as possible. Drinking too much will not only cause tooth decay but also increase the risk of obesity.

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02

Myth: Spinach can replenish iron

Analysis: Spinach has limited effect in supplementing iron.

The saying that "eating spinach can supplement iron" has been around for a long time. Although the iron content of spinach is relatively good among the large family of vegetables, don't count on it to supplement iron.

Spinach has a high content of carotene and potassium, and is a recommended vegetable for daily consumption. Its iron content is 2.9 mg/100 g, which is 2.2 times that of Chinese cabbage. [3] It is richer in iron than most commonly eaten vegetables. However, it is not reliable to supplement iron by eating it, mainly for two reasons.

First, the iron in spinach is non-heme iron, and the body has a low absorption rate for it. Second, spinach also contains a lot of oxalic acid, which interferes with the absorption and utilization of minerals. Therefore, spinach is not a recommended food for iron supplementation.

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03

Rumor: Eating egg yolks can supplement iron

Analysis: Egg yolk is rich in iron, but it is difficult to absorb.

Many mothers will use egg yolk as the first food for their baby after adding complementary food, thinking that egg yolk can supplement iron for the baby, which is wrong.

The iron content of egg yolk is indeed not low, at 6.5 mg/100 g, but the yolk of an egg is only about 15 g, so eating an egg yolk can ingest about 1 mg of iron, which is not high. In addition, egg yolk also contains phospholipids, which inhibits the absorption and utilization of iron, ultimately resulting in an absorption rate of only 3% of the iron in the egg yolk. You can't really count on it to supplement iron.

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04

Rumor: Eating cherries can supplement iron

Analysis: Cherries have nothing to do with iron supplementation.

Cherries cannot supplement iron. According to data on cherries in the United States Department of Agriculture’s nutrient database, the iron content of cherries is only 0.36 mg/100 g[4]. With such a low iron content, it is best not to rely on eating cherries to supplement iron.

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05

Rumor: Eating red amaranth can supplement iron

Analysis: Amaranth has a very low iron content and poor absorption rate.

When amaranth is blanched or fried, the soup will turn red, and blood is also red, so many people think that eating amaranth can replenish iron and blood.

In fact, the red color of amaranth is due to its rich anthocyanins and betacyanins,[5,6] not due to its high iron content. Its iron content is the same as that of spinach, which is 2.9 mg/100 g. It is also non-heme iron and has a poor absorption rate.

Although you cannot expect to supplement iron by eating amaranth, its calcium content is very good, at 178 mg/100 g, which is 2.7 times that of spinach and even higher than that of rapeseed.

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06

Rumor: Soaking wolfberry in water can supplement iron

Analysis: Wolfberry can be soaked in water, added to porridge, dishes, and soups to enhance the taste of dishes, but it is not effective in replenishing iron.

"When you reach middle age, you can't help yourself, soaking wolfberries in a thermos cup" has become a standard for those born in the 1980s and 1990s. Some people also say that wolfberries can replenish iron and blood, and make people look better.

The iron content of wolfberry is indeed not low. Both red and black wolfberries have a higher iron content per 100 grams than spinach. [7] However, we usually only use a few to soak in water or make soup. The amount we eat is very limited, and the iron they contain is non-heme iron, so the iron supplement effect is not good.

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07

Rumor: Eating red beans can supplement iron

Analysis: The red beans seem to be very iron-rich, but in fact they are not very effective in supplementing iron.

Among miscellaneous beans, red beans have a relatively high iron content, at 7.4 mg/100 g, which is 2.2 times that of chickpeas.[3] However, red beans are non-heme iron and are not easily absorbed.

Although eating red beans is not very effective in supplementing iron, it is very effective in supplementing potassium. The potassium content is as high as 860 mg/100 g. Eating 50 grams of red beans a day can meet 21.5% of the daily potassium requirement of the general population.

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4 foods that really provide iron

1

Beef tenderloin

Beef tenderloin is almost entirely lean meat. It appears frequently on the table and is easy to eat. It is a good choice for daily iron supplementation.

The bright red color of beef tenderloin shows that it is rich in iron, with an iron content of 4.4 mg/100 g, nearly three times that of pork tenderloin. Eating 75 g of beef tenderloin every day can meet 16.5% of the daily iron requirement of an average woman, which is quite good.

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Common dishes: Stir-fried beef with coriander, beef slices with cumin, black pepper beef with king oyster mushrooms, stir-fried beef with garlic sprouts, etc.

2

Pork liver

Animal liver is an important source of iron. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends eating animal liver 2 to 3 times a month. After all, the cholesterol content is not low. Don't eat too much each time. It is recommended to eat 25 to 30 grams, which is about 1/4 the size of a goose egg.

The iron content of pork liver is 23.2 mg/100 g. 30 g of pork liver can provide 7 g of iron, which can meet 35% of the daily iron requirement of an average woman.

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Common dishes: fried pork liver with onion, fried pork liver with chili pepper, spinach and pork liver soup, tomato and pork liver soup, etc.

3

Animal blood

Common animal blood includes chicken blood, pig blood, and duck blood. Among the three, duck blood is the most popular, and it is a must-order ingredient for many people when eating hot pot. It not only tastes good, but also can supplement the minerals iron and protein.

In terms of iron content, duck blood > chicken blood > pig blood. The iron content of white duck blood is the highest at 30.5 mg/100 g, which is 3.5 times that of pig blood. The iron content of female duck blood is even higher, at 39.6 mg/100 g. Eating 50 g can meet nearly 100% of the daily iron requirement of women.

In terms of protein content, duck blood > pig blood > chicken blood. Duck blood has the highest protein content of 13.6 g/100 g, while chicken blood has the lowest, only half of duck blood.

Therefore, based on the above comparison, duck blood is really the best of the three animal bloods. Moreover, duck blood has a very low fat content, only 0.4 g/100 g, so even those who are losing weight can eat it with confidence.

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Common dishes: duck blood vermicelli soup, fried duck blood with leeks, fried duck blood with hot peppers, duck blood and tofu soup, etc.

4

Razor Clams

Although razor clams are shellfish, their iron content is surprisingly high, 33.6 mg/100 g, which is 7.6 times that of beef tenderloin and 22.4 times that of pork tenderloin.

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that adults eat 280 to 525 grams of aquatic products per week, which averages out to 40 to 75 grams per day. If you can eat 75 grams of clams, you can supplement 25.2 mg of iron, which directly meets 126% of women's daily iron needs. It's so nice!

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Common dishes: Razor clams with garlic, clam tofu soup, stir-fried razor clams, razor clams with scallion oil, razor clam vermicelli soup, etc.

in conclusion

The iron in brown sugar water, spinach, red amaranth, wolfberry, and red beans is non-heme iron, which is not well absorbed, so the iron supplement effect is not good. One egg yolk is about 15 grams, and you can only take in about 1 mg of iron. In addition, the egg yolk also contains yolk phospholipids, which will inhibit the absorption of iron. Cherries contain very little iron, so don't expect to supplement iron by eating cherries.

Relatively speaking, it is recommended to eat beef tenderloin, pork liver, duck blood, clams, etc. for iron supplementation, as these foods are better for iron supplementation.

References:

[1] Yang Yuexin, Ge Keyou. Chinese Nutrition Science Encyclopedia 2nd Edition (Volume 1)[M]. People's Medical Publishing House, 2019.698-700

[2] Yang Yuexin, Wang Guangya, Pan Xingchang. Editors. Chinese Food Composition Table. December 2009. 2nd edition.

[3]. Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[4]. Cherry data: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102660/nutrients

[5] Yao Huakai, Zheng Yuanli, Zhou Anwei, Li Liqian. Determination and analysis of anthocyanin content in five purple vegetables[J]. Southern Horticulture, 2020, 31(3): 14-18

[6] Xie Liyang, Liu Shengcai, Bai Yu, Liu Yan, Lin Mi, Cai Shunliang, Zheng Xueli, Xie Xiaoqing, Feng Xin, Cheng Chunzhen, Chen Yukun, Lai Zhongxiong. Cloning and expression analysis of the gene AmMYB1 related to betalain biosynthesis in Amaranth[J]. Journal of Botany, 2016, 36(6): 1080-1090

[7] Yu Lanli, Chen Yanhui, Lan Haibo, Wang Hongmei. Determination and comparison of iron and zinc contents in wolfberry[J]. Modern Food, 2021(14):183-186

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