[thechat] O Brother, drugs, movies, and hats

[Paul Cowan]

> >You need about 40mg iron per day if you're vegetarian, or 20mg if 
> >you're not. (Iron
> >is absorbed more easily if you eat red meat. Bugger.)
> 
> I'd heard the exact opposite. Strange. Anyhow, unless you're getting 
> vit C it's not doing you much good at all.

Iron from red meat IS absorbed much more easily than other forms, as I
understand it. (so are comics from www.redmeat.com).

A friend here has just been diagnosed with haemochromatosis (genetic
condition leading to excess iron production -- or more accurately,
insufficient iron disposal, I think -- not sure) and she's been told to
avoid red meat (no probs - she's a vegetarian), and to in particular avoid
high-Vitamin-C items (e.g. orange juice), particularly while eating. Alcohol
is also out, as I believe both vitamin C and alcohol help absorb iron.

Basically, I gather that a meal of, say liver and spinach washed down with a
vodka + orange can be.... very very nasty indeed. Best avoided.

Paul