Iron – Great for ironing out difficulties!

Iron is the most abundant trace element present in the human body.

Important sources of iron are pig liver, leguminous plants, oats, and calf meat. The percentage of iron is not the only important factor. Other constituents in a meal, which influence how well iron is absorbed, are equally important. The availability of iron in animal foods is appreciably higher than in plant foods.

Phytic acid (e.g. in bran components in cereals), oxalic acid (e.g. in spinach or rhubarb), tannin, calcium, phosphate, as well as some dietary fibres inhibit the absorption of iron.
Vitamin C and lactic acid (in whey, yoghurt, and sauerkraut) promote iron’s absorption. Good sources of iron are meat, wheat germs, oatmeal, wholemeal bread, spinach, millet, quinoa, and amaranth. Quinoa, and amaranth are plants that were cultivated by the Incas and Aztecs.
In the past, spinach was heavily promoted as a good source of iron. This was, however, the result of an analysis error.

Iron is present in haemoglobins and myoglobins. It is necessary for the transportation of oxygen and for the production of energy in cells. It also takes on other functions in the immune system and DNS synthesis.

Copper – A shining balance.

Copper is also a trace element. Copper is a component of numerous enzymes. It is involved in the formation of connective tissue. It also participates in electron transport in the respiratory chain. In this way, it contributes to the production of energy.

Furthermore, copper is involved in the formation of erythrocytes (red blood corpuscles). It catalyses the oxidation of bivalent iron into trivalent iron, making it usable in the body. It supports the formation of melanin in the skin, stimulates the immune system, and is anti-inflammatory.

A lack of copper can contribute to neurodegeneration.

High quantities of calcium, zinc, and iron decrease copper’s absorption rate. Different amino acids promote its absorption. This is also true of organic acids (e.g. citric acid, apple acid, lactic acid) and polymers of glucose.

Good sources of copper are (besides cocoa) innards, fish, shellfish, nuts, some varieties of vegetables, and wholemeal cereals. An overdose, or poisoning from copper is rare. It is, however, suspected that a high copper content in drinking water (over 10 mg/l) can lead to liver damage in small children.

A 40g portion of milk chocolate provides approximately 20% – 40% of the daily required amount of copper for an average adult. A 40g portion of dark chocolate provides over 40% of this.