The best known health problem related to iron is iron deficiency anemia. You have symptoms such as tiredness, muscle weakness and general weakness, irritability, paleness, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, oral ulcers or hair loss, to mention the most prominent.

The problem at the other end, the excess iron in the blood, is called hemochromatosis. It is caused by a genetic defect that, in many cases, prevents proper absorption of iron. It affects fewer people than anemia.

Iron is an indispensable ingredient for life. By increasing or decreasing their values, serious health problems can occur. Iron buildup can be toxic to the body, as it accelerates the aging process of cells and makes it difficult for different organs to function. In these cases medical treatment and diet care are essential.

How to change the diet?

Changes in diet may have a side effect: ingesting certain essential nutrients in quantities less than necessary. Therefore, before changing the diet, it is advisable to go to a dietitian or a nutritionist who explains how iron consumption is reduced without any other errors.

The person suffering from hemochromatosis asks: Is it healthy to remove all iron-rich foods from my food size? The answer is not so simple: to minimize the iron we eat every day, you have to follow a balanced Mediterranean diet, with plenty of vegetables, fresh fruit, legumes and whole grains. In addition to these foods, white meat, eggs, fish, sugars and fats should be consumed as much as possible. In summary, the requirements that must be met to maintain an adequate nutritional balance and contribute to the detoxification of the body would basically be the following:

- Reduce the consumption of iron-rich foods: cilla, viscera (liver), red meat in general, fish and shellfish (clams, oysters), nuts.

- Natural iron chelators (calcium, phytes, oxalates and tannins) may be beneficial when taken together with the above, as they decrease iron absorption. It is suitable tea, with many tannins, at breakfast or after food, fresh cheese along with salads, yogurt as dessert and rice with milk.
- Citrus fruits rich in vitamin C and other fruits (orange, mandarin, grapefruit, lemon, strawberries, melon, kiwi, pineapple...) should be taken between meals without mixing with other foods.

- Take care of foods enriched or reinforced with iron. Check the labels carefully and completely discard this type of food.

- Reduce sugar, all kinds of sweet foods and sugary products.

- Food for the liver gado.El is the main organ involved in iron metabolism and other components. Therefore, foods that can enhance their function (scarole, endibias, thistle or chicory) are very suitable in cases where the amount of iron in the blood is high.