Information about Iron

Each time you come to donate blood, the American Red Cross will check your hemoglobin, an iron-containing protein. This is done to protect both you, the donor, and the patient who receives your blood. Many people are temporarily restricted from giving blood due to low hemoglobin levels.

What can you do? The good news is that you can increase your level of iron by eating iron-rich foods such as those listed below, or by taking supplements.

Meat Liver, Beef, Lamb, Turkey, Ham, Chicken, Veal, Pork

Fruit Prunes, Watermelon, Dried Apricots, Dried Peaches, Strawberries, Raisins, Dates, Figs

Breads & Cereals Enriched Bread, Whole Grain Bread, Enriched Noodles, Bran Cereals, Corn Meal, Oat Cereal, Enriched Rice

Seafood Shrimp, Mackerel, Sardines, Oysters, Clams, Scallops, Tuna

Vegetables Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Broccoli, String Beans, Collards, Tomato Juice

Others Eggs, Dried Peas (split peas, chick peas), Dried Beans (lima, kidney, navy), Instant Breakfast, Corn Syrup, Maple Syrup, Lentils, Molasses

If you have been temporarily deferred, increase your iron intake, and you can try donating again in about a week.

What else should you know about iron?

• Vitamin C enhances the absorption of the iron you eat. Eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C along with food high in iron.
• Tea interferes with iron absorption by about 50 percent.
• Iron in meat is absorbed twice as efficiently as that in vegetables. Only two percent of the iron in spinach is absorbed. More iron from vegetables can be absorbed if meat is eaten at the same meal.
• Iron pots, such as cast-iron skillets, are an excellent source of iron, especially when used for cooking acidic foods. Spaghetti sauce increases from three to 88 milligrams of iron per half cup when simmered in an iron pot for three hours. Steel cookware provides no additional iron.

Why you need iron

• Iron is part of hemoglobin, a protein that gives blood its red color.
• Hemoglobin cannot be created without iron. About 250 milligrams of iron are needed to produce the hemoglobin for one pint of blood.
• Too little iron in your blood results in iron deficiency anemia. Anemia reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, which can contribute to malfunctioning of the heart, muscles and brain.
• About half of your body's iron supply is contained in your red blood cells.