On Life As A Picky Foodie

Andrea Nichols is a vegan Superhero. No, really.  Being a Brazilian vegan might seem like a contradiction in terms, but Andrea makes it look easy – a skill that has earned her hundreds of followers on her two Portuguese-language blogs, Brazil nut and Animalista.

This woman loves great food – in fact she is one of my favorite people to break (dairy-, yeast-, gluten-free) bread with.  I truly believe that if more of us felt about food like she does, there would be many many more vegans in this world!  With Andrea, every meal is a cause for celebration – and the added bonus is that no animals are ever killed for her dinner.

However, you won’t hear much preaching from her – only an honest and well-researched opinion: Andrea has always maintained that “we all do what we can.”  And as a result, I find myself constantly asking how can I do more?

One great way to start is by educating ourselves.  For example, what are the ways in which we can incorporate iron-rich foods into our diets without resorting to eating red meat?

With love,
Gabriela

On Iron

Every once in a while, when people google Iron + Veg, they end up on my blog. In my opinion that’s a good thing because the more people think and learn about food, the better the chances that they are going make healthy choices.

Well, I’m hopeful anyway.

Iron is indispensable for the production of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of our bodies. It is also responsible for our energy and resistance levels.  Lack or shortage of iron in our system is commonly known as anemia.

Good sources of iron include: dark leafy green (watercress, escarole, kale, beet leaves and parsley to name a few), nuts and seeds (pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cashews, sesame and sunflower seeds), whole grains, dried fruit, broccoli, peas, beans, blackstrap molasses, seaweed, figs, artichokes, asparagus, oats, bananas, carrots, limes, dates, strawberries, cherries, grapes, string beans, kiwis, lentils, peaches, pears, apples, bee pollen, prunes, radishes, as well as iron-enriched enriched pastas and breakfast cereals...

So you see, there is no shortage there.

Today we know that iron deficiency is not a bigger problem for vegetarians or vegans than it is for the rest of the population. However, it’s still a common concern and a recurring question I hear from omnivores who are considering switching to a veggie diet.

When we consume animal products, our bodies absorb between 15 and 30% of the bio-available iron. From vegetable sources, iron-absorption works differently – and at a ratio of between 2 and 20%. What makes a difference depends in part on the presence of other types of foods within that same meal and it’s important to be aware of how the combination of ingredients affects our absorption capabilities.  For example, the presence of Vitamin C can help, as can the use of cast-Iron cookware.

On the other hand, certain ingredients can interfere with or even inhibit the absorption of iron. The most common culprits are red wine, green tea, coffee and soy products. Whether you are a vegan or an omnivore (or anything in between), in order to maximize your body’s ability to absorb iron, the best thing to do is avoid consuming these foods at the same time as iron-rich ones.

In case you’re worried about whether you are getting enough iron, look out for common symptoms of iron deficiency like weakness, and lack of energy, pale skin, low blood pressure, headaches, insomnia, and depression.

However, if you’re thinking of taking iron supplements, do keep in mind, that unlike vitamin B12, which, if taken in excess, does not affect us (our body actually recycles it), too much iron can be extremely dangerous.  PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY SUPPLEMENTS WITHOUT CHECKING WITH YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL FIRST -- sorry for screaming, but I really needed your full attention here. J