Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with iron and food

Can you make a warped cast-iron skillet perfectly flat again?

fivesavagepalms — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 07:01:23 -0800

Speaking of cast-iron skillets, I have two, and they worked brilliantly on a gas stove. But now that I have a flat-topped glass stove, they work less well because they're not perfectly flat. One is a bit convexly rounded on the outside, so some of it gets hotter than the rest; the other is concave on the outer bottom and sort of mounded on the inner bottom, so that oil pools around the edges, around the mound, if you can picture that. Both pans work great for baking stuff like cornbread, but not so good for steaks or such. So I've got two pans I love but now understand why I could buy them cheap at thrift shops. Question: Is there any way to make the bottoms of these pans perfectly flat again so they'll cook well?

Mmm, iron-y!

rachaelfaith — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:25:36 -0800

What are some ways I can fit more iron into my diet without resorting to iron supplements? Following a long period of constant dizziness/nausea/weakness, I finally went for some blood work. My doctor told me my iron was low, as well as my Vitamin D and B12 levels.

He recommended 300 units of D, and to come in for a B12 shot if I felt particularly weak. My multivitamin (which I am very bad at taking daily and have now set an alarm to remind myself) seems to cover the D and B12. It also says it has 100% of my iron, but my doctor did recommend taking another iron supplement to boost things.

I hear that iron isn't the most gentle on the gastrointestinal side of things, and I'd like to avoid irritating my IBS. Thus, I'd like to increase my iron intake in terms of food instead.

I don't eat much meat, save for some chicken or turkey on occasion. I know that red meat is high in iron, but that's not an option for me. I also dislike salmon and most non-white-flesh fish. What can I eat that will give me lots of iron to ward off this crappy anemic feeling? I am trying to keep a low-calorie, low-fat diet as well, but for the sake of my health and sanity, I will deviate for yummy iron-rich foods. Thanks!

Reverse veganization

zenofthefrisbee — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:10 -0800

How can I incorporate animal protien and supplemental iron in my vegan diet? That sounds contradictory, I know.

But my doctor just told me that I am protien deficient and anemic, and that I must eat animal protiens and more iron. Every body is different, and apparently mine can't survive on a strict vegan menu alone. Now I am having trouble imagining how to incorporate meats in my meals. I've looked into whey protien mixes, but am interested in ways that I can hide meat (and extra iron) in my diet without, you know, tasting it. Basically I'd like my diet to remain as vegan as possible on the surface, while satisfying my body's protien requirements.

Fish is out; I can't palate it. Chicken, pork, and beef are better.

So, what are some good recipes to hide animal protien in?
Are there any prepared foods (like I'd buy at Whole Foods on my lunch break) that might work?
What are my other options outside of meat? Do eggs count?

How much iron is too much?

Kosh — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 20:13:57 -0800

Is it possible to get too much iron ("too much" meaning when one starts suffering detrimental effects) just from eating a lot of foods rich in iron? My girlfriend's been using a food journal site to track the stuff she's been eating lately and has noticed that she's been getting 250% of her daily recommended amount; she's wondering at what level you'd start noticing problems, or if it's even possible to eat enough iron in a regular diet to cause problems. She doesn't take any supplements--this is purely from food.