The Minerals: Iron

The Kaufmann Diet is all about using nutrition as a powerful tool to support good health, prevent disease, and sometimes even reverse diseases. In this series, we break down the components of nutrition into their specific parts, and discuss how they can support––and sometimes hinder––our health. The third part of this series covers minerals, what they are, how they fit into your Kaufmann Diet, and the best sources of these nutrients. The iron mineral plays several critical roles in the body, essential for maintaining overall health and proper physiological functions. Here’s a more detailed look at its key roles:

Oxygen Transport and Storage: The iron mineral is a fundamental component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. It also helps store oxygen in muscles through myoglobin, another iron-containing protein, which releases oxygen as needed during muscle activity.

Energy Production: Iron is vital for the conversion of blood sugar to energy in the mitochondria—the powerhouses of cells. It’s a component of cytochromes, enzymes involved in the electron transport chain, a crucial step in energy production within cells.

Enzyme Functions: Iron is a cofactor for many enzymes, facilitating various biochemical reactions, including DNA synthesis and repair. It is essential for the production of some neurotransmitters and collagen, the protein that supports skin, bone, and connective tissue health.

Immune Function: Iron affects immune health by influencing the growth and maturation of immune cells, particularly lymphocytes, which help protect the body against infections and illnesses.

Brain Function: Iron is critical in the brain for neurotransmitter production, including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. It also supports the development of the nervous system and is vital for cognitive functions, such as learning and memory.

Maintaining adequate iron levels is important for these functions, but it’s also important to avoid excess iron, which can lead to oxidative stress and tissue damage. This balance is crucial for preventing both iron-deficiency conditions and iron overload disorders and highlights the nutritional truth that more is not always better. 

Iron In The Diet

Dietary iron comes in two forms:

1. Heme iron: This type of iron mineral is found in animal products such as meat, fish, and poultry. It’s the most efficiently absorbed form of iron by the body.

2. Non-heme iron: Found in plant-based foods like lentils, beans, and vegetables. This form is more prevalent but less readily absorbed by the body.

The absorption of non-heme iron can be improved by consuming it with vitamin C-rich foods or heme iron sources. Conversely, certain substances like phytates (found in whole grains and legumes), calcium, and tannins from tea and coffee can inhibit iron absorption.

Iron is essential but needs to be consumed in appropriate amounts, as both deficiency and overload can lead to health issues. Iron mineral deficiency can cause anemia and other health problems, while excess iron can lead to toxicity and is associated with certain genetic conditions, such as hemochromatosis.

On The Kaufmann Diet, it is very likely that you will be getting plenty of the iron mineral in your diet. Unless you are under orders from a doctor, supplementing is likely unnecessary. 

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