h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...drinking a glass of stout a day.

My GP says my iron levels are low. Interestingly she didn't recommend iron tablets, but that I should eat red meat four times a week. That's really hard, partly because my digestive system is used to 'easy' meat these days - fish, chicken, duck - and protein from cheese and eggs. It's also difficult because at this time of garden gluts, there's barely space on my plate of fresh veggies to stick in a fork and come up with a mouthful of food, let alone any room for a chunk of meat.

I did obey my GP for a week or so (she's that kind of a GP) but didn't much enjoy it. Then my lovely sister-in-law suggested Guinness as an alternative.

Now, I haven't consumed alcohol for two or three years (except for an occasional celebratory ). This is for reasons of wanting to be 100% alert each morning when I wake up: as I've aged even one small glass of red wine has made itself felt the following day, so I ditched the whole alcohol thing and have felt enormously healthier and more energetic for doing so.

But of course, low iron levels are taking a toll in my energy levels, so I decided to chat to my GP about the pros and cons of Guinness vs. red meat vs. iron tablets.

It was a remarkably short conversation which went along the lines of:
FB - Hello ... [explanation].. what do you think?
- Go with a glass of Guinness each day. And have iron tablets too for now. Once your energy levels are normal, cut out the tablets and see how you feel.

So off I went to the supermarket to look at the price of Guinness in six-packs (no single bottles) And then saw individual bottles of various locally-brewed stout sitting cheek by jowl with the Irish stuff

And I am writing this as I sip a cold glass of Clydesdale Irish Dry Stout, brewed in Christchurch . It's bloody marvellous Here's hoping I still think so when the alarm goes off at 5.20 tomorrow morning....

Fb

While I've got nowt against a glass (or two) of a day, and I even had an uncle who was prescribed two pints of every day for a blood condition and got them on the NHS (oh how I miss the 60s ), I'd have to say that you'd be far better off with various green vegetables if it's iron you need. There's next to none in Guinness. It's a myth. It's made from the same ingredients as any other beer - barley malt, water, hops and yeast.

According my trusty old Neal's Yard Cookbook (1986, Rachel Haigh, probably not available at all good bookshops any more), parsley has twice as much iron as spinach, then chard, then endive. In the fruits it's dates, then persimmons, then loganberries. Dried fruit are even better, especially peaches, then apricots. In fact they're better for just about everything because the vitamins and minerals are concentrated during the drying process. Pistachios and pumpkin seeds are very good indeed, as is molasses. And then there's seaweed, which I imagine there's plenty of nearby

But don't give up on the A little of what you fancy does you good, especially if it's Guinness Foreign Export.

Wait... Guinness Foreign Extra.

Isn't 'foreign' a queer word. Doesn't look like it ought to be spelt that way. Nor does 'Chardonnay'.

I'd back Gosho here and see if you can find other sources - lots off v veggies are high in iron and they might be easier in your digestion.

Not that I want you to stop drinking stouts, I'm a porter girl and love those styles of beer!

apparently, there's enough iron in the body to make a 1ins nail

therefore for iron deficiency grate a 1ins nail, some Parmesan Cheese etc etc

The downside of red meat seems to outweigh the iron advantage. Iron is available in lots of greens.

Googling the Popeye myth, I found this: http://super-myths.blogspot.com/2010/12/spinach-iron-decimal-point-error-myth.html

In a nutshell, Popeye ate spinach for its vitamin A.

Plus there's the advantage that you can grow your own vegetables and fruits and know exactly where they came from and what went into them. It should also be pointed out, in the interest of balance, that brewing your own is a lot of fun

Though to be fair they do say that, though red meat doesn't contain much more iron than vegetables, it has it in more 'available' form.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_of_the_human_body

I still prefer looking at a 36-24-36 female blonde

Aah, I forgot to say that I am eating all the right vegetables already. In quantity. And obviously I grow it all myself

Fb

Back on here and would love to catch up especially as you're the only hootooer I've met in RL. Hope all is well and that you are coping with all the uncertainty.
David