YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health (Summer 2015)

MELANIE MCGRICE, AdvAPD Melanie is one of Australia’s best known dietitians. She is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, a highly respected author and health presenter on nutrition and dietary issues - and a lover of great food! Join her free nutrition and wellbeing network at www.melaniemcgrice.com.au or click here to learn more about Melanie. FIVE WAYS TO BOOST YOUR IRON INTAKE You don’t need to turn into a beef and spinach-eating machine to meet your iron requirements. Nutrition expert Melanie McGrice identifies five iron-rich foods that may surprise you, and provides an awesome iron-rich recipe to get you started! ne in five Australian adults are low in iron. Iron is an important mineral responsible for making proteins that carry oxygen in the blood to give your body the energy needed to function. Low iron can result in anaemia which can leave you fatigued, pale, dizzy and out of breath. It is more prevalent in women, with teenage girls, female athletes, and women who are menstruating, pregnant or lactating, being most at risk. The recommended daily intake of iron for men is 8mg/day and for women it increases to O 1. 18mg/day to balance out what is lost during the menstrual cycle (or 8mg/day for non-menstruating females). When asked to increase your iron intake your mind may think of a bloody red steak or even leap to the conclusion that you need iron supplements, but this is not always the case. There are plenty of iron-rich foods that can be incorporated into your daily diet, so if you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough iron continue reading to discover the five most underrated iron-rich foods. Sesame seeds Nuts and seeds are a good source of healthy fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals, but sesame seeds have the highest iron content of them all, with 100g sesame seeds providing approximately 14.5mg iron! Now remember to be reasonable as it’s not likely that you’re going to sit down to a 100g sesame seed serve, but sprinkling a little on top of an Asian stir-fry or adding them to a homemade marinade can be a good start to boosting your iron intake. 2. 3. Oysters These little delicacies really pack a nutritional punch. In addition to being a good source of protein, omega-3 and zinc, oysters are a fantastic source of iron. A 100g portion, which is equivalent to six medium oysters, will give you approximately 7mg iron. Just another reason to indulge in a few when you’re by the sea! Lentils Lentils are a type of pulse and come in different colour varieties but yellow, red, green and brown lentils are most common.100g of lentils provides 3.5mg iron with virtually no fat and no cholesterol. They’re also a really good source of protein so don’t be scared to “go vegetarian” more often. 10 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015 4. 5. Sourdough bread Bread has been a staple in Western diets for centuries and is a good source of B vitamins, dietary fibre and iron. To increase your iron intake, I’d recommend a high-fibre sourdough bread: two slices (approximately 100g) provides 3.5mg iron. Kale and spinach Kale is a dark green leafy vegetable that is comparable with its cousin, Popeye’s iron-rich staple, spinach. There is approximately 1.5mg iron in 100g of kale (and 2.5mg iron in 100g raw spinach), so continue adding it to your omelette, salads and green smoothies. So, if you think you are at risk of being low in iron, or if it has been confirmed through a blood test, talk to your dietitian about adding more iron-rich foods in your diet. If you have iron deficiency anaemia, your dietitian can also recommend a suitable iron supplement for you to take to boost your levels and then monitor your iron intake to prevent further deficiencies.

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