Sea Moss is known for its mineral content, boasting an array of up to 92 minerals. Of these minerals, Iron is one that it not only has, but it supplies it to the body in a way that has already been digested by the plant, which makes it very easy for your body to use. In this post we will go over Irons function in the body, how iron is received by the body, iron levels in Sea Moss, and the benefits of Iron from a plant vs iron supplement. 

 

Super Iron!

Everybody knows Superman, The Man of Steel! Able to lift buildings, fly, and shoot laser beams from his eyes. But Superman had one thing that would make him frail and weak, Kryptonite. When Kryptonite was around, it zapped all his powers. That's what low iron does to you. When our bodies are low on iron, we suffer from a number of different ailments like:

• Irritableness
• Body Aches
• Hair loss
• Heartburn
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Loss appetite
• Heart Palpitations
• Constipation
• Weakness

Nobody is going to be leaping any tall buildings feeling like that. This is why Iron is so important for your body, Men and in fact, Women need even more!

 

The Role of Iron

Iron plays such a vital role in how we feel because it affects every breath we take! Our red blood cells have an essential component called hemoglobin, it's a protein-rich in a special form of iron called heme. Not only does hemoglobin provide the red pigmentation in our blood, but it is also what gets oxygen from our lungs to every cell of our body! When we breathe, Oxygen is sucked into the membrane of the lung walls, entering microscopic pouches of hemoglobin, once it's ready for delivery, it is driven off by the bloodstream to fuel all the body cells with rich oxygen. So, you can see, that iron plays a vital role in every breath we take!

So, without an adequate supply of iron, red blood cells can't create hemoglobin, and therefore cannot distribute oxygen effectively, which results in all those listed ailments above. Even a small deficiency of iron can leave your body gasping for air (figuratively).

 

Men, Women, & Iron

On average, Men require 10 milligrams of iron as a recommended daily dosage, while Women require 18 milligrams. Why do women require more you may ask? Well, their physiology is different of course. There are two events in a Woman's life that take a toll on their iron levels, menstruation, and pregnancy. It's clear to see how during a menstrual cycle you lose blood so you lose iron, which can be recovered through proper diet and natural supplements, but what about during pregnancy when the demands on the mother are so high that iron levels can deplete at a rapid rate? For example, during the second half of pregnancy, the growing baby needs between 500 to 700 milligrams of iron transferred through the placenta. Most Women carry 400 milligrams of iron stored in bone marrow. So more likely than not, the mother becomes iron deficient during pregnancy. I believe prenatal vitamins are very good for expecting Mothers, they help your body get all the minerals, especially iron, that the baby needs to develop, so if you're expecting, take your prenatal.

Children also require iron for growth and at the other side of the spectrum. Our elderly need iron for a healthy lifestyle.

 

Where Can I Get This Iron?

Fortunately, we can find iron in plenty of different foods, vegetables, fruits, and meats. Everything from Beef Liver, Prunes, soybeans, Molasses, Spinach, and you guessed it, Sea Moss! One tablespoon of Sea Moss contains around 2 milligrams of Iron, which is a great natural way to boost your iron levels daily. The Iron in Sea Moss and most plant life is called non-heme iron, while iron from meats is called heme iron, the main difference being in how the body absorbs both types.

 

Plant vs Supplement Iron

Non-heme iron is in a form that the body can naturally assimilate with and absorb. Plant-based foods have this type of iron. Another benefit is that Vitamin C is a little helper when it comes to helping iron enter the bloodstream, and most plant-based foods are rich in vitamin C, enhancing iron absorption by a considerable amount. For example, 42 milligrams of vitamin C from 1/2 cup of strawberries can more than double iron absorption! Also plant-based iron is not likely to lead to iron overload, since it is in a natural state, the body can regulate it more easily. 

Iron from supplements is often animal-based iron, which is Heme iron. Now don't get me wrong, the convenience is nice, and it does have its place, but iron in this form often leads to digestive issues like constipation, plant-based iron is a lot gentler on you. Also, iron supplements can inhibit the abortion of other essential minerals like calcium and zinc, while plant-based actually increase levels of all your minerals synergistically.

 

Iron Levels

When iron levels go up, hemoglobin levels go up as well, and so does your energy and general sense of wellbeing. As mentioned in another article titled "What is Sea Moss?" getting sick less often and feeling generally better is not very easy to measure, but it's somewhat of a passive trait of health living. Taking Sea Moss gives you that small yet efficient boost of iron that helps your body moving towards the healthy side.

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies among children, women, and older people. This is why it is so important to insure we are  receiving an adequate amount in our diets. 

 

Conclusion

So, we've learned a bit about how iron plays such a vital role in our body, especially in regard to the transport of Oxygen thru the red blood cells. We also learned how Sea Moss Gel contains approx. 2 milligrams per tablespoon serving, providing around 5% DV. We also learned how plant-based iron differs from iron supplements. Sea Moss gel is an amazing addition to your diet, it provides iron in a healthy amount, and that's just scratching the surface of the 90+ minerals the body needs that sea moss has. If you're looking for a natural safer kick to your iron, try our "100% DV Iron Smoothie" Made with all organic ingredients to revitalize your bodies iron supply and fill your reserves.

Thank you for reading and we hope you've gained some value. We'd love to hear from you, drop us a line at healthiswildseamoss@gmail.com

Stay Healthy, Stay Wild.