2010-11-26

Digestion Tip Number Four.

Becca's Digestion Tip Number Four: Combine iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods.

Most people are deficient in iron. Women suffer from iron deficiency more often than men because they loose blood (and therefore iron) during their menses. People don't typically eat a lot of iron-rich foods, and even when they do, iron is often poorly absorbed by the body. However, iron is hypothesized to be better absorbed when it is combined with vitamin-C rich foods.

Meal ideas for maximum absorption:

- Top iron-rich green salads with fruit (orange, apple, or grapefruit segments) or with a vinaigrette made with citrus fruit juice.
- In trail mix, combine iron-rich nuts and seeds with dried apricots and figs.
- Pair iron-rich fish with broccoli and/or red, yellow, and green peppers (side note: it's too bad that citrus gets all the attention because there is a lot of vitamin C in vegetables too!)

Happy Friday! I'm off to have dinner at a vegan restaurant downtown. :)

4 comments:

  1. Not Happy Friday - it's Happy Birthday :)

    Becca is celebrating a birthday today - all her bloggers should know ;)

    Hope you have a wonderful day & dinner - we miss you - all our love b'day girl.

    xoxoxo PJ & M / M & D xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

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  2. Psssst....isn't this tip # 4?

    Oh,pssst we heard something interesting - spinach is more nutricious cooked than raw - (ie. spinach salad) - do you agree?

    PJ & M ( again)

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  3. Thank you PJ and M, it was the fourth tip! Thanks for keeping me honest.

    Yes, I believe that spinach is more nutritious when blended or lightly steamed in order to break down the cellular membranes to release the nutrients. Unless you chew raw spinach REALLY REALLY well, it is hard to get all of the good stuff out of it :) Thanks for mentioning this important point!

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  4. I did have a wonderful day and dinner, but it would have been better if I had had PJ, M, M (number 2), and D's company. Miss you so, so much.

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