5 Ways To Lower Your Iron Levels Using Food

Iron is an essential mineral that is present in every cell of the body.¹ Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin and myoglobin. There exist two types of iron, heme iron and non-heme iron which are derived by body from animal-based food products and plant-based food products respectively.²

Foods such as nuts, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, meat, green leafy vegetables, and soybean flour are a major source of iron. The daily recommended iron intake for men between 19-64 years is 8.7 mg, for women between 19-50 years it is 14.8 mg, and for women between 50-64 years it is 8.7 mg.

Excessive consumption of iron, over 20 mg a day may lead to problems such as stomach pain, constipation, and vomiting.³

Let’s look at 5 ways that can help lower excess levels of iron in your body:

1. Limit Red Meat Consumption

Red Meat products such as beef, lamb, and pork contain very high amount of iron.⁴ By limiting red meat consumption, you can lower your iron intake. The recommended red meat consumption per day is 70 g, anything beyond this limit is harmful, it will not only increase iron level but also increase the chances of bowel cancer.⁵

2. Lower Sugar Intake

According to researchers sugar can significantly increase non-heme iron bioavailability.⁶ Sugars are known to improve iron absorption and excessive sugar consumption also brings with it other health hazards like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and liver diseases.⁷ The daily recommended intake of sugar is 37.5 g per day (150 calories) for men and 25 g per day (100 calories) for women.⁸

3. Lower Alcohol Intake

There are several harmful effects of alcohol consumption, one of them being an increase in the level of iron.⁹ Strokes, high blood pressure, nerve damage, and liver diseases are few other harmful effects of regular alcohol consumption.¹⁰ Lower the alcohol consumption to lower the level of iron and avoid consuming more than 20 g of alcohol in a day, it may reduce the risk for alcohol-related diseases.¹¹

4. Eat Calcium Rich Foods

Calcium is an essential mineral required to maintain healthy bones and blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart diseases, and lower the risk of developing colon cancer.¹² Calcium helps lower the level of both heme iron and non-heme iron. Consume more of calcium rich food such as milk, yogurt, broccoli, cheese, and almonds to help lower the iron level in the body.

The daily recommended intake of calcium is 1,000 mg per day for women less than 50 years of age and for women over 51 years of age, it is 1,200 mg per day. The daily recommended intake for men below 70 years of age is 1,000 mg per day while for men over 71 years of age it is 1,200 mg per day.¹³

5. Eat Eggs

Eggs are extremely nutritious, they are a rich source of folate, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins. Eggs contain a compound called phosvitin that helps lower the iron level in the body.¹⁴ Egg consumption even improves your eye health and the level of good cholesterol in the body.¹⁵ It is safe to consume between 1-3 eggs per day.¹⁶