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Show FITNESS TIPS Vegetarians Risk Iron Deficiency Do ou know that soybean products affect iron absorption? Soy protein is an important food source for many vegetarians and much of the w orld population. It may be another factor, in causing iron deficiency, according to Lawrence Lawr-ence E. Lamb. M.D. in The Health Letter. DR. LAMB notes that vegetarians are at greater risk of iron deficient diets, anyway, since heme iron, found in blood and muscle, is the most readily absorbed source of iron in the diet. That's one of the big reasons we say you should have a little meat in your diet. In a recent study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (34:1981), it was shown that soy protein sharply reduced iron absorption. When male subjects were given egg albumin and casein from milk, only 2.5 and 2.7 percent of the iron was absorbed. Then when isolated soy protein was used, the absorption dropped to 0.5 percent. Even when full-fat soy flour, textured soy flour, and isolated iso-lated soy protein was used in the diet, the iron absorption was only 1 .0, 1 .9, and 0.4 percent. AT BEST, in a mixed diet, only about 10 percent of the iron in your food is absorbed. Now, when we already know that protein in milk, cheese, and eggs decreases iron absorption absorp-tion by as much as 40 percent, soy protein still further, and non-heme iron from sources other than meat not being absorbed well at all. we have a problem. If you prefer the strict vegetarian route, where soybeans and soybean products are the main protein source, you should consider cooking in iron cookware. The absorption of iron from cookware will significantly increase the iron in your diet. |
