1. food and drink
2. food
3. grains and pasta

Iron for
Your Health
Iron and Our Bodies
Iron is an essential nutrient for our health. Iron works by forming
hemoglobin, which is an important part of red blood cells.
Hemoglobin then takes oxygen through the blood to all the cells in
our body.
While everyone should be sure they are eating iron-rich foods, iron is
very important for infants, teenagers, women aged 19-50 years,
during pregnancy and those who follow a vegetarian diet.
Some Symptoms of Iron Deficiency:
Iron deficiency may develop without enough iron in the diet. When
your body does not have enough iron, red blood cells become small
and pale, a condition called anemia. The red blood cells are not able
to carry enough oxygen to your body organs and muscles. When you
have low iron you may show these signs:
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tired, lack of energy, weakness
difficulty concentrating and learning
not able to fight infection (increased illness)
pale skin
irritability (cranky, fussy)
slow weight gain in infants
Iron in Foods
There are two different types of iron:
1. Heme Iron is found in meat or other animal sources and is more
easily absorbed than non-heme iron. (milk products and eggs are of
animal origin but they contain only non-heme iron).
2. Non-Heme Iron comes from grain products, vegetables and fruit,
eggs, legumes (beans & lentils) and nuts. Our bodies are able to
absorb more non-heme iron when we eat these foods in combination
with foods that contain vitamin C (see table for food sources).
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Food Sources of Iron
Heme (or Best) Food Sources
Non-Heme (or next best source)
Excellent sources (contain at least 3.5 mg of iron per serving)
 liver, veal, chicken or beef liver *
 beef kidney or beef heart
 liver pate, canned
 clams
 oysters
 iron-fortified cereal (½ cup dry cereal)
 instant oatmeal
 soybeans, white beans, lima beans
(1 cup)
 blackstrap molasses (1 tbsp)
 pumpkin & sesame seeds roasted
(¼ cup)
Good sources (contain 2.1-3.4 mg of iron per serving)
 Cream of Wheat, instant prepared
 beef
(: cup)
 shrimp
 kidney, navy, pinto beans, lentils,
 sardines
chickpeas, split peas (¾ cup)
 cooked spinach, swiss chard (½ cup)
 enriched pasta-cooked (1 cup)
 baked beans (¾ cup)
 egg noodles, enriched-cooked
 cashews (¼ cup)
(1 cup)
Fair sources (contain 0.5-2.0 mg of iron per serving)
 pork, ham, chicken or lamb
 dried fruit (¼ cup)
 turkey, dark meat without skin
 almonds, walnuts, mixed nuts,
pistachios (¼ cup)
 crab, salmon, tuna
 wheat germ (¼ cup)
 sunflower seeds (¼ cup)
Note:
* A serving of meat, fish or poultry is  bran muffin from mix
 cream of wheat regular prepared
about the size of a small deck of
(: cup)
cards or ½ cup. Larger or smaller
portions will have more or less iron.  bread, white, whole wheat and
pumpernickel (1 slice)
 peaches or pears in juice (1 cup)
 peanut butter, natural (2 tbsp)
 hummus (4 tbsp)
 cookies; gingersnap, oatmeal, fig,
molasses (2 cookies)
 baked potato with skin (1 med.)
 brussel sprouts (½ cup)
 baby carrots-raw (8 each)
 2 eggs, whole large
 2 egg yolks, cooked
Source: Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods. Health Canada 2008
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Tips to increase Iron intake:
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We absorb only some iron from foods we eat. The iron in meat,
fish and poultry is best absorbed.
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Coffee, tea, cocoa, colas contain substances that reduce iron
absorption in foods so it is best to have these foods when not
eating iron rich foods. Wait one to two hours after your meal
before having these drinks.
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The iron in plant foods is not absorbed as well. Eat iron rich food
and vitamin C rich foods at the same time to increase iron
absorption. (i.e. drink orange juice with a bowl of cereal at
breakfast, add diced red pepper to a tuna sandwich, include
orange slices in spinach salad). Try to include one iron-rich food
and one food rich in vitamin C at each meal.
Food sources of vitamin C
Vegetables
Tomatoes
Brussel sprouts
Baked potatoes with skin
Broccoli
Green, red and yellow pepper
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Fruit
Oranges
Clementines
Lemons
Kiwi fruit
Grapefruit
Most berries
Strawberries
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Juice
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Eat plant sources of iron with meat, fish or poultry. (e.g. eat pasta
with meat sauce or add nuts to chicken stir-fry).
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Enjoy nuts and dried fruit such as apricots, dates, raisins & figs
for snacks. Add them to salads, cereal or when baking. (make a
granola with whole grain and enriched cereals, dried fruit, wheat
germ, molasses and nuts).
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Sprinkle wheat germ over cereal, salads, cooked vegetables,
yogurt or add to muffins.
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Serve oatmeal with raisins as a snack.
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Cook beef or clams with onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs. Add
to pasta, soups or serve them on their own.
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Add beans, peas or lentils to soups, stews, salads, casseroles,
burritos, fajitas and spaghetti sauce.
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Avoid giving your child too much milk.
The following lists the average amount of milk your
child needs each day:
Age
Amount
Formula 0 - 5 months old
6 - 12 months old
24 to 35 oz/day
24 to 32 oz/day
Milk
16-24 oz/day
16-24 oz/day
24 oz/day
1 - 3 years old
4 - 8 years old
9 - 18 years old
Vegetarians and Iron
See IWK Clinical Nutrition Handout PL-0574 Vegetarian Eating for All
Ages
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Babies and iron
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For the first 6 months, breastfed babies will get what they
need from their mother’s milk.
Babies who are formula fed should receive iron-fortified
infant formula until 9-12 months of age. Iron-fortified infant
formula will provide enough iron to meet babies daily iron
needs.
From six months of age and older, iron-rich foods should be
offered to babies everyday. Iron-fortified baby cereals, meats
(eg. beef, pork, lamb or veal), poultry, fish, tofu, beans and
other legumes and eggs are good sources of iron.
Review tips for increasing iron on pages 3 and 4.
Should I give my baby an iron supplement?
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Premature babies should get an iron supplement no later than
8 weeks old until 12 months corrected age.
Talk to your doctor or dietitian if your child is over 6 months
and is not eating any meat or other iron rich foods.
Treat iron supplements like a medication: Do not take an
iron supplement without speaking to a doctor, dietitian or pharmacist.
Keep iron supplements away from children when storing.
Iron supplements
Some people may need to take iron supplements as advised by their doctor
if they have:
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Low iron stores or iron deficiency anemia
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Certain illnesses
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Low amounts of iron in their diet, such as vegetarians
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High iron needs (examples: pregnant women or some menstruating
women and endurance athletes)
Refer to IWK Pharmacy Handout PL-0881 Iron Supplements
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Special considerations for children < 4 years
Your child should always be seated and supervised when eating a meal
or snack. All foods should be cut into small pieces. These are some
foods that can cause choking:
Hard foods like some raw vegetables and fruit
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cook hard foods to soften them, or grate/chop them into small
pieces.
Round, smooth foods like whole grapes or cherries
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cut each round into 4 small sections. Remove any seeds or pits.
Sticky foods like peanut butter or nut butters
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spread peanut butter thinly on breads or crackers. Don’t give
blobs or spoonfuls of these foods.
Foods with bones or served on tooth picks or skewers
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check and remove bones from fish. Remove toothpick and/or
skewers before giving.
Any tube shaped foods like raisins, pasta, cooked baby
carrots & hotdogs
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should be cut in small pieces.
The following food should not be given to children under
4 years:
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nuts
marshmallows
cough drops
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popcorn
hard candies
gum
Daily Iron Requirements
Ages
Infants
Children
Adolescent
Adults
Male & Female
Pregnancy
Lactation
(breastfeeding)
Lactation
(breastfeeding)
0 to 6 months
7-12 months
1-3 years
4-8 years
Female 9-13 years
14-18 years
Male 9-13 years
14-18 years
Female 19-50 years
Male 19-50 years
51 years & older
18 years or younger
19 years and over
Recommended dietary
intake in milligrams
(mg) per day
0.27
11
7
10
8
15
8
11
18
8
8
27
10
9
Notes:
References:
Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommended Intakes for Individuals. National
Academy of Sciences (2000) Site visited March 2012 www.nap.edu
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_elements_tbl_e.html
Loving Care: 6 to 12 months (NS Department of Health and wellness 2011)
Loving Care: 1 to 3 years (NS Department of Health and wellness 2011)
IWK Health Centre, Clinical Nutrition, Halifax NS
PL-0374 Last Update: 04/15
Next Review: April 2018
H:\Nut_Serv\Nutrition Shared\FORMS.IWK\Form #PL-0374 Iron for Your Health.docx
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