Last week we discussed the importance of iron in our diet and this week we will take a closer look at how much we need and how we go about getting that.
So how much do we actually need?
Most women need ~18mg every day
Most men need ~ 8mg every day
Keep in mind very active people need ~1.5 times this. How does this translate into food sources?
100g of beef or kangaroo = ~3.5mg
100g tofu* = ~3.5mg
100g salmon = ~1.5mg
1 cup of chickpeas* = ~3mg
1 cup wholemeal pasta* = ~2.5mg
1 cup spinach* = ~1.5mg
1 cup broccoli* = ~1mg
1/3 cup wholegrain cereal* = ~3mg
Handful of almonds* = ~1mg
*Enjoy with vitamin C rich foods to enhance iron absorption
Keep in mind lots of foods have iron in it which build up over the day. Consistently eating across the 5 food groups ensures these iron requirements are met.
