IRON for Teen Girls IRON_Teen_eBook | Page 5

Improve your iron intake in 3 easy ways: 1. Include meat, fish and poultry in your diet Animal products such as meat, fish and poultry contain heme iron. This type of iron is the easiest type for your body to absorb. Eating meat, fish and poultry also helps the body to better absorb non-heme iron from other foods. 2. Go for “C” Add foods rich in vitamin C to your meals. These foods help the body absorb non-heme iron. Good sources of vitamin C • green, yellow and red peppers • oranges, grapefruits, clementines • strawberries, raspberries, kiwis • tomatoes and tomato sauce • cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts • 100% juices (like orange, tomato) 3. Avoid tea and coffee during meals Tea and coffee contain polyphenols, which lower the amount of non-heme iron your body can absorb. If you drink these, wait until one hour after your meal.