Iron in your Diet

Iron - What is it ?

A mineral, found in the human body in the blood and in the muscles.

Why do we need it ?

To transport oxygen to all parts of the body.

How does it do this ?

Iron is part of the red blood cell that picks up the oxygen to carry it round the body.

Not Enough Iron = Not Enough Oxygen = Not Enough Energy

Lack of iron causes tiredness, loss of appetite, irritability and eventually anaemia. The list below shows foods rich in iron.

Meat

All meat including chicken and turkey, and especially red meat e.g. beef, lamb, pork, liver, kidney, tongue, liver sausage, corned beef, beefburgers, sausages, black pudding, pate.

Pulses

Lentils, dahl, chick peas, kidney beans, mung beans, baked beans, butter beans, haricot beans.

Breakfast Cereals

All "iron fortified" cereals e.g. Weetabix, Bran Flakes, Shredded Wheat, All Bran, Special K, Ready Brek, porridge.

Vegetables

Dark green leafy types e.g. broccoli, spinach, cabbage, spring greens, brussels sprouts, peas, mushy peas, okra, leeks, cauliflower, runner beans; tomato puree.

Eggs

Eggs, especially the yolk (make sure eggs are well cooked).

Fish

Pilchards, sardines, tuna, shellfish e.g. crab, shrimps, prawns, fish paste.

Soya Products

Soya burgers, soya sausages, soya mince.

Nuts

Nuts e.g. peanuts, almonds, peanut butter.

Whole nuts should NOT be given to children under 5 years old due to the risk of choking.

Wholemeal Products

Products containing wholemeal flour e.g. bread, chapattis, pasta, biscuits.

Fruit

Dried fruit e.g. prunes, apricots, sultanas, raisins. Products with dried fruit in e.g. malt loaf, fruit cake.

Miscellaneous

Cocoa powder, chocolate, liquorice, curry powder, curry paste.

If you are pregnant, have food allergies or are on a special diet, please seek further advice.

How can I make the most of the Iron that I eat?

Vitamin C

To make iron work properly you must also have Vitamin C or the iron may be lost. Eat iron and vitamin C rich foods together. Try to include some of the following foods every day as part of your meals:

Fresh Fruit:

e.g. oranges, tangerines, pears, bananas, grapefruits, mangoes, strawberries.

Fruit Drinks:

e.g. pure fruit juice, cordial with added Vitamin C e.g. Ribena, C-Vit.

Vegetables & Salads:

e.g potato, cabbage, tomato, peppers. Vitamin C is destroyed by heat so don't overcook your vegetables.

Do NOT drink tea with meals, because tannin in tea can reduce how much iron the body absorbs from your food

Meal Ideas

Breakfast

1. Fruit Juice Boiled egg Bread

2. 1/2 grapefruit Grilled bacon Toast

3. Peanut butter on toast Tangerine

4. Breakfast cereal Milk Chopped banana

Snack Meals

1. Beans on toast, Satsuma segments

2. Wholemeal sandwiches e.g. ham and tomato, tuna and cucumber, chicken and salad

3. Quiche Lorraine, Jacket potato

4. Dahl soup, Chapatti, Fruit salad

Main Meal

1. Meat stew Potato, Cabbage

2. Lamb and spinach curry, Chapatti, Salad

3. Tomato and mushroom omelette

4. Tuna fish pie, Broccoli

These meals are good for all the family but may need to be adapted for younger children

Advice for babies

• Continue to use breastmilk or infant formula milk until your baby is one year old because cow's milk is a poor source of iron.
• Wean your baby at the right age
  • between 4 (not before 17 weeks) and 6 months
  • by 6 months (not before 17 weeks or 4 months)
  • between 4 & 6 months and not before 17 weeks
• Wean onto a wide range of iron rich foods, and remember to include foods which contain Vitamin C.
• At one year old your child should be eating enough iron containing foods. You can now change on to full cream cow's milk. Aim for one pint of milk per day, and not more than this, otherwise your child might be too full of milk to want to eat!