Iron

Role
Transporting oxygen from the lung to the cells via hemoglobin.
A deficiency is common among women. Their diet (vegetarian as well as omnivore) usually lacks this mineral and every month iron is lost with the menstruations.
A woman needs 16 mg daily whereas man requirements are 9 mg daily.

Heme and nonheme
There are two types of iron:
Heme iron: from meat
Nonheme: from vegetable which is less assimilable.
Vegetarians must improve the absorption of this type of iron.

The absorption of iron depends on many factors:
It is increased in the presence of vitamin C. Consume vitamin C rich foods at each meal (citrus fruits, broccoli, tomatoes, green pepper...)
On the contrary anti-acids, oxalates-rich foods (spinach, rhubarb, Swiss chard, chocolate...), phytates-rich foods (wheat bran), coffee and tea lessen its absorption.

Phytate levels diminish when soaking legumes or cereals and when nuts are roasted.

Fermented foods such as tempeh, miso, and soy sauce do not inhibit iron absorption since inhibitors are broken down during the fermentation.

Iron-rich foods
Body recycles iron but some is lost every day and must be replaced.

Iron is found in:
Wheat germ
Avocado
Sea vegetables
Green peas
Spinach
Beet greens
Turnip green
Beans
Tofu
Tempeh
Prune juice
Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower and sesame.

Caution
Too much iron is not good. It is believed that excess iron binds with free radicals increasing risks of cancers as well as cardiovascular diseases.

---