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| Iron (Fe) |
| Iron is the major element on earth making up 35% of
the earth's interior. |
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| Food sources |
| Lean meats, poultry, fish contain high amounts of haem iron.
Cereals, legumes and leafy vegetables are good sources. Jaggery is a good source of iron. back to top |
| Functions |
| Iron is a component of haemoglobin, which acts as a carrier of
oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. It is a component of myoglobi, a muscle protein
which stores some oxygen for immediate use by the cell. Iron also functions as a co-
factor for many enzymes. It is involved in the production of thyroid hormones, which
regulate many metabolic processes. back to top |
| Recommended
Dietary Allowance (RDA) |
| The ICMR recommendations are 20 mg/day for an adult
man. 30mg/day for an adult woman. 40 mg/ day during pregnancy. 25mg/ day for adolescent
boys and 35 mg/ day for adolescent girls. back to top |
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