I've been getting a lot of questions about iron lately. So, I decided to address the question, “What interferes with Iron Absorption?”
Antacids and Ulcer Medications
The main reason these medications interfere with iron absorption is because they raise the pH of the stomach. The lower the number on the pH scale, the higher the acid content of your stomach. Your stomach contains hydrochloric acid, which aids the digestion process. Raising the pH of your stomach will impede the absorption of many nutrients, including iron.
This is why you and your doctor have to weigh the benefits and risks of taking or not taking antacids. It's good to be aware of this issue, however, so you can work towards making sure you are eating plenty of iron-rich foods.
Cholesterol Lowering Medications
Certain cholesterol lower medications, called bile sequestrants, interfere with iron absorption. Examples of this class include cholestyramine and colestipol.
Phytic Acid
Phytic acid is an antioxidant compound found in the bran of grain and in seeds. It is the main storage form of phosphorus (an essential mineral) in plants. Phytic acid is a strong chelator of calcium, zinc, and iron. Chelators are what are used to remove excess iron when a person has too much iron in their blood. Thus, the reason phytic acid decreases absorption of iron. Again, this is a good thing to be aware of. However, this does not mean you should avoid foods high in phytic acid, because foods high in phytic acid are usually high in other important nutrients as well. Examples of high phytic acid foods are spinach and other greens, soybeans, whole grains, seeds, and dark chocolate.
Mega Doses of Vitamins and Minerals Interfere with Iron Absorption
Taking excessive amounts of vitamins and minerals interferes with iron absorption, and other nutrients as well. When studies show certain nutrients to be protective against disease, people often think they should take a supplement. The supplement industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry. And their goal is to convince people they “need” a certain supplement in order to be healthy.
The problems with this are multiple. First, of all, when studies are done, the scientists don't always know whether it is the nutrient ONLY or whether there is something else in the food studied that is contributing to the apparent protective effect of the vitamin. Not only that, but antioxidants, such as vitamin A and vitamin C, can become pro-oxidants when taken at too high of doses. When a vitamin becomes pro-oxidative, this makes it harmful to the body.
Also, taking excess amounts of vitamins will interfere with the absorption of other essential nutrients including iron, zinc, copper, and others.
This is why it is ideal for you to get your nutrients from the food itself.
Now that we've discussed what interferes with iron absorption, let's discuss how to increase iron absorption.
I really expected this lasagna recipe to require more tweaking. But after one try, the gluten-free casein-free lasagna my husband made today turned out quite tasty!
He used brown rice lasagna for the noodles, and they cooked nicely. Although, my husband said that he had to cook them a bit longer than normal. This was not a massive surprise since legume pasta also takes a bit longer than traditional pasta. Speaking of which, I would have much rather used a legume form of lasagna, but there doesn't seem to be one of those types available on the market. Legumes would be a superior choice because of the extra fiber. I will keep my eyes peeled and let you know as soon as I find one.
The rice lasagna held together just as well as traditional white lasagna noodles.
The one thing I do want to mention is that this is a lightened version of traditional lasagna. It has way less sodium and fat and is far less rich than full fat lasagna. This is the way I prefer it anyway, since lasagnas that are heavy like the ones at Olive Garden, are just too rich and salty for me. It has something to do with what you are used to. So, if you are used full fat, super rich lasagna, you may not enjoy it as much as I did.
But I want to encourage you, if you prefer the rich stuff, to give yourself time to readjust to the lower fat and lower sodium content of the lightened recipes. I promise, it will not take long before you don't like that rich stuff anymore.
As far as the casein-free cheeses, we used three distinct types:
The mozzarella cheese in the casein-free, gluten-free lasagna is good, the Parmesan, not so much. So, I would use the mozzarella for the cheese topping next time. Although, it is true, that I've been enjoying the lasagna for several days in a row. It is quite satisfying as a lunch item.
We used light/white meat ground turkey instead of ground beef. I personally like the taste of ground turkey more than the taste of ground beef for most recipes. Meatloaf is an exception, for example. However, for chili, spaghetti sauce, enchilada casseroles, chili mac and lasagna, ground turkey is delicious. And it is way lower in fat and saturated fat. Not only that, but it is less expensive than ground beef. So, that's another benefit.
Anytime you combine a high protein food with vitamin C rich foods, your body will be able to better use the iron. This is the perfect dish for that. The turkey is a good source of iron, and the tomatoes and bell peppers are excellent sources of vitamin C.
Here are some other resources you might find helpful:
Add last 1/3 sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese
Top with parmesan (or use extra mozzarella instead if preferred)
1/2 cup shredded casein-free parmesan cheese
Place in preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 40 minutes or until heated through and slightly brown. NOTE: the parmesan cheese will not appear to be melted like traditional parmesan.
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