He iron It is a mineral necessary for growth and body development human. It is also required the b12 vitamin that It contributes to many essential bodily functions. Since this vitamin is found naturally in many products of animal origin, it can be easily incorporated into your daily diet.
With the arrival of winternot only the warmth of clothes and heating are important. Also the body experience changes in the energy levelshe metabolism and even in food preferences.
“During the time with lower temperatures, it is advisable to take into account what type of foods are consumed and consider which ones promote the intake of iron, vitamin B12 and zinc,” he said. César Casavolahead of the nutrition service at the German Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in dialogue with Infobae.
“For example, to ingest iron, you can consume red meat in stews. Some vegetables, such as spinachalso have iron -the expert pointed out-. But contains many oxalates, phytates and tannins that are inhibitors of iron absorption by the digestive system.”
These inhibitors are also found in wheat bran and in the husk of cereals, in the tea and in the coffee. “If you consume meat, you should drink tea or coffee only when it has been digested and not immediately. This will ensure that the iron in the meat is well absorbed,” he clarified.
“Preparing your diet for winter can be healthy – and tasty – if you add some of your favorite foods for the cold,” said the nutrition specialist at the Cleveland Clinic from United States, Beth Czerwony.
No climate justifies unhealthy eating habits. In the same way that you should not abuse ice cream during the hottest days of summer, you should not live on hot chocolate and cookies during the winter. In that context, Taking care of your iron and vitamin B12 intake levels is key to health.
The body uses iron to make hemoglobina protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to different parts of the body, as well as myoglobin, a protein that supplies oxygen to muscles, according to the U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements. National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the USA.
The body also needs iron to make hormones and connective tissue.
The daily amount of iron that a person needs varies according to age and sex, and will also depend on whether their diet consists mainly of plant-based products. Below are the average daily amounts of iron recommended in milligrams (mg): According to NIH guidelines, men of all ages and women over 50 are advised to consume at least 8 milligrams of iron daily.
Women between 19 and 50 years old should take 18 milligrams per day and during pregnancythe recommended amount rises to 27 milligrams.
Vegetarians who do not eat meat, poultry or seafood need almost twice the amounts of iron listed below because the body absorbs “heme” iron from animal sources better than “non-heme” iron from vegetables and iron-fortified foods.
In the short term, insufficient iron consumption does not cause obvious symptoms. The body uses iron stored in the muscles, liver, spleen, and bone marrow.
But when the levels of iron stored in the body decrease, iron deficiency anemia occurs. Red blood cells decrease in size and contain less hemoglobin. As a result, blood carries less oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia (known as “iron deficiency anemia”) include tiredness and lack of energy, intestinal disorders, poor memory and concentration, and a decreased ability to fight germs and infections or to control body temperature. Babies and children with iron deficiency anemia may develop learning difficulties.
Iron deficiency can occur in people who do not eat meat, poultry, or seafood; in those who suffer blood loss, intestinal disorders that interfere with the absorption of nutrients or in those who do not eat healthily.
Iron is naturally present in foods and in certain iron-fortified foods. Among those that contain the most are:
- Lean meats, seafood and poultry
- Iron-fortified breakfast cereals and breads
- White and red beans, lentils, spinach and peas
- Nuts and some dried fruits, such as raisins
To improve the iron absorption Of the foods of plant origin, they should be accompanied by meats, poultry, seafood and foods with vitamin C (such as citrus fruits, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes and broccoli).
Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps maintain the health of neurons and blood. In addition, it contributes to the formation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the genetic material present in all cells. It also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, a blood disorder that causes tiredness and weakness.
The body stores between 1,000 and 2,000 times the amount of vitamin B12 that is usually consumed in a day. For this reason, symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can take several years to appear.
If a person is deficient in vitamin B12, they may feel tired or weak. They may be symptoms of megaloblastic anemia, which is characteristic of vitamin B12 deficiency.
In addition, the person may experience pale skin, palpitations, loss of appetite, weight loss, and infertility. The hands and feet may experience numbness or tingling, which is a sign of nerve problems.
Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include balance problems, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, and ulcerations in the mouth or tongue.
In infants, signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency include delayed growth, delays in reaching developmental milestones, and megaloblastic anemia.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause damage to the nervous system, even in people who do not have megaloblastic anemia. Therefore, it is important to treat any deficiency as soon as possible.
Vitamin B12 is present in many foods of animal origin. Plant-based foods do not contain vitamin B12 unless they are fortified. To consume the recommended amounts of vitamin B12, you should eat a variety of foods such as:
- Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products contain vitamin B12.
- Clams, oysters and beef liver are some of the best sources of vitamin B12.
- Some breakfast cereals, nutritional yeasts, and other food products fortified with added vitamin B12.
