Peanut butter is the favorite food for many. No surprise there; it has good taste and good nutrition. But the question for today is, is there iron in them, and if so, is it significant enough?
Iron
Iron is an important mineral that everyone needs. Iron is needed for your body to produce hemoglobin, which helps the RBCs carry oxygen throughout the body. Furthermore, it is needed to make myoglobin, supporting a healthy immune system, brain development, producing collagen and other proteins, and helping convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. People suffering from anemia, as well as those who have given blood, must take iron supplements to recover.
Iron uses
- Reduce fatigue
Iron is useful for the body. People that don’t have anemia could experience fatigue if their ferritin (an indicator of iron stores) level is low, especially women on their period. Increasing their iron intake at this time may not improve their mood, but it will certainly help them manage the fatigue.
- Â Improves athletic performance
Some iron is stored in myoglobin, a protein-iron complex found in muscles. When you work out, move, or do anything active, your muscles need a lot of oxygen. An average person has an adequate intake of iron from their diet to support performance. But, athletes who participate in endurance activities such as marathon running or endurance cycling might lose more iron. Add in the fact that an athlete is female or vegetarian, and you have a recipe for iron deficiency and anemia. Thus, athletes must ensure that their iron intake is sufficient in order to perform at their best.
- Improve Cognition
Research shows that if the iron level fell lower than average, it would affect a person’s cognition. Concentration and attention are immediately impacted when iron levels in the blood decline. Getting iron levels restored to a normal range can improve concentration and boost cognitive performance.
Iron in peanut butter
So, does peanut butter have iron? Yes, but only by a moderate amount. A serving of peanut butter provides 7.5 percent of the total daily recommended amount for an adult male. The daily recommended amount is 8 milligrams, which means peanut butter only gives you 0.6 milligrams. Furthermore, the type of iron found in peanut butter and other plant foods is nonheme iron. Your body is not able to absorb this form of iron as well as the heme iron found in meat and other animal foods.
Because of this, if you are looking for an iron source, peanut butter might not be your first choice. Although peanut butter provides a moderate source of iron, for vegetarians or those who eat only a little bit of meat, it can be a substantial source of iron. If plant foods are your sole source of iron, though, you’ll need to eat nearly twice as much as folks who eat meat.