Iron is a mineral nutrient present in plants and animals. It is crucial to the human body because it aids in transporting oxygen via the blood throughout all the tissues and cells. This form of iron is called hemoglobin, which is approximately 65 to 75 percent of the iron in the body. Hemoglobin is a protein that forms part of red blood cells. Your body retains a small reserve of iron in your liver and bone marrow in the form of ferritin.
Iron Deficiency Anemia is a condition caused by insufficient iron stores to support production of normal red blood cells. It causes low red blood cell count, low hemoglobin content and smaller than normal red blood cells. The most common causes of iron deficiency anemia are excessive loss of blood and inadequate intake of iron rich foods. Iron deficiency anemia symptoms are often a result of inadequate supply of oxygen to various cells of the body.
It is easy to increase your iron intake by eating iron rich foods. However, a recent survey conducted among young women highlighted a big gap in their knowledge of iron rich foods: