Iron

As women, we are often reminded about our special need for iron and we often consume iron supplements because we believe “it’s good for us.” But for over one million Americans, supplementing iron intake could have devastating consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “In the United States more than one million people have the gene mutation that can cause hemochromatosis.” People of European descent are most likely to have the gene mutation that causes iron overload which can lead to hemochromatosis.

What is Iron Overload?

Louisville dietitian Michelle Eckhart highly recommends that those following a vegetarian diet include the following nutrients in their diet:

• Protein
has many important functions and is essential for growth and maintenance. Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein sources in the same meal isn't necessary. Sources of protein for vegetarians include beans, nuts, nut butters, peas and soy products (examples: tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers). Milk products and eggs are also good protein sources.

• Iron

New and Exciting News from Germany - Iron is shown to induce Death of Tumor Cells - Rapid growth of cancer cells and their frequent divisions have their price: Cancer cells need considerably more energy than healthy cells. Their metabolism runs at full speed and requires large amounts of micronutrients, particularly iron. However, high levels of iron in the cell lead to the production of extremely harmful free radicals.