Oats, barley, and some products made from them

I AM IRON MAN

Have you ever stopped to think about the foods you eat and what they might contain? Did you know that you consume metal every day? Just like a tool grinder chews through a metal blade, we ingest metal in our diet every day without even knowing it. What’s even more surprising is that metal, specifically iron, is essential for our survival.

Iron is a crucial component of a healthy diet. Yes, it’s the same kind of iron used to make metal nails. In our bodies, iron is responsible for transporting oxygen through our blood, allowing it to reach all our cells (oxygen molecules piggy-back on the iron molecules). If we don’t consume enough iron, our bodies won’t have enough oxygen, and we’ll feel tired. Consuming minerals such as iron is essential for optimal health.

Here’s how to find hidden iron in your bowl of cereal.

Take a breakfast cereal that is high in iron and crumble it to powder
Mix water with the cereal powder to make a very watery solution
Take a magnet and stir the cereal powder mixture around for a while
Examine the magnet. You will see particles of iron clinging to the magnet.

Hemochromatosis – too much iron in your body can be bad too

Strangely enough, having too much iron in your body can lead to a condition called hemochromatosis. Some people supplement their diet with vitamins and minerals including iron. Taking in too much overloads the body with iron. The symptoms of this iron overload? Very similar to the symptoms of an iron shortage – feeling tired and weak.

Parent/Teacher/Advanced Notes

Why iron?

Iron is an important mineral that plays a crucial role in the human body. It is an essential component of hemoglobin, which is the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Without enough iron, the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin, which can lead to anemia, a condition characterized by fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath.

Iron is also necessary for the proper functioning of the immune system, as it helps in the production of white blood cells that fight off infections and diseases. It is also needed for the growth and development of cells, particularly during childhood and adolescence.

In addition, iron is important for cognitive function, as it helps in the production of neurotransmitters that are responsible for transmitting messages between nerve cells in the brain. Iron deficiency has been associated with cognitive and behavioral problems, such as poor memory, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

Anemia

Anemia occurs when your blood doesn’t have enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. All parts of your body need oxygen, and anemia can starve your body of the oxygen it needs to survive.

There are many things that can lead to anemia. Your body may not make enough blood, you may lose too much blood from bleeding. Possible causes include low vitamin B12 or folic acid intake, as well as some chronic illnesses. However, the most common cause is not having enough iron in your blood. Iron is a mineral that the body needs to make hemoglobin. Anemia due to low iron levels is called iron deficiency anemia.

How the body processes iron from the food we eat

Iron is an essential nutrient that our body needs to function properly. As explained above, it is required for the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Here’s how the body processes the iron from the food we eat.

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Diagram of human cellular iron homeostasis - how the body processes iron — Diagram showing a generalized view of cellular iron homeostasis in humans. Iron import can occur via endocytosis of transferrin receptor 1 or via ferrous iron importers DMT1 and ZIP14, which require the activity of iron reductases such as STEAP2, SDR-2 and Dcytb. Intracellular iron can be stored in ferritin and used for protein biosynthesis, or to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and regulate transcription via iron-responsive element-binding proteins (IRP1/2). Export occurs through ferroportin, often aided by hephaestin (Hp) and/or ceruloplasmin (Cp), and repressed by hepcidin.

When we eat foods that contain iron, it is first broken down in the stomach by stomach acid. The small intestine then absorbs the iron into the bloodstream. However, not all types of dietary iron are easily absorbed by the body.

There are two types of dietary iron: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is found in animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, and fish, and is more easily absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron is found in plant-based foods such as beans, lentils, and spinach, and is not as easily absorbed by the body as heme iron.

To increase the absorption of non-heme iron, it is recommended to consume it with a source of vitamin C, such as citrus fruits or bell peppers. Additionally, consuming foods high in calcium, such as dairy products, can decrease the absorption of both heme and non-heme iron.

Once absorbed into the bloodstream, the iron is transported to the bone marrow where it is used to produce hemoglobin. Any excess iron is stored in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow for future use.

Experiment Supplies

Supplies: Cereal, Magnet

Image Credits

In-Article Image Credits

Diagram of human cellular iron homeostasis - how the body processes iron via Wikimedia Commons with usage type - Creative Commons License. March 26, 2015
Oats, barley, and some products made from them via Wikimedia Commons by Peggy Greb with usage type - Public Domain. USDA - August 2001