Iron – The Facts

Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common nutritional deficiency in Australia. Women are most at risk during their reproductive years, as iron is lost in blood during menstruation.

• Each person needs approximately 2mg of iron in each day.
• The average western diet contains 10 – 15mg of iron. However, iron is poorly absorbed, somewhere between 5 – 10%. So, this means you need to eat foods containing at least 20mg of iron each day in order to reach the recommended amount.
• Absorption of iron can be improved by adding vitamin C rich foods, such as squeezing lemon juice over vegetables or adding tomatoes, capsicums to a meal. Berries and most fruit have vitamin C, which makes the ideal dessert.