Iron is an essential nutrient required by the body, Iron also plays an important role in specific processes within the cell that produce the energy for our body. It is for this reason that one of the first symptoms of low body iron stores is tiredness and fatigue. Iron is particularly important during growth phases for our children and during pregnancy and all women need to be sure that they are meeting their daily dietary intake of iron in order to feel well.
Below is a sample menu guide from Laugh with Health, for those who feel that they might need an energy hit by boosting their iron intake.
Breakfast
Apple (0.2mg/100g) and strawberry (0.6mg/100g) juice. Total iron approx. 0.8mg/100g.
Rolled oats (3.7mg/100g) with 50g of raisins (2.2mg) plus a tablespoon of wheatgerm (2mg). Serve with a cup of milk (0.05mg/100g) or soy milk (0.5mg/100g)
Total breakfast iron: approx. 8.4mg
Morning Tea
Date dip: dried dates (2.6mg/100g) dipped into 50g tahini (3mg). Or walnuts (2.5mg/100g) on rye bread (2.7mg/100g) with honey, or 50g sunflower seed butter (2mg) on wholemeal bread (2.2mg/100g).
Lunch
Tabouli salad: 50gm parsley (4.5mg/100g), 50g tomato (0.2mg) with 50g raw spinach (3.2mg) with 30g tahini dressing (1.7g) on rye bread (2.7mg/100g).
Total lunch iron: 12.3mg
Afternoon Tea
Carob milkshake; mix 50g carob powder (2.3mg) with 2 cups soy milk (1.1mg) Total iron: 3.4mg.
Carrot and parsley juice: 200g carrot (2.2mg) with 50mg parsley (4.7mg). Total iron 6.9mg.
Evening Meal
Stir fry: into the wok add tofu cubes (7.9mg) with 50g peas (1.6mg), broccoli (1mg), 50mg parsley (4.7mg), 50mg onions (0.27mg), capsicum (0.7mg) and 50g cashews (1.9mg).
Total iron: approx.18mg.
Pepita burgers. In a bowl mix 1 tablespoon ground pepitas (1.1mg), 30mg finely chopped parsley (3.2mg), spinach (3.2mg) and 20g onion (1.2mg) with 100g cooked rice (0.4mg). Form into patties, fry with canola oil and serve with garden fresh salad (3mg).
Total iron: approx. 12mg.
RDA: Daily Iron Intake | ||
Gender / Stage | AGE | IRON mg. Per Day |
Children | 1-10 | 10mg |
Female | 11 – 50 | 15mg |
Female | 51+ | 10mg |
Male | 11-18 | 12mg |
Male | 19-50 | 10mg |
Pregnancy | 30mg | |
Lactation | 15mg |
[Extraction from Laugh with Health by Manfred Urs Koch. For more information head to www.laughwithhealth.com.au.]