How much iron is in that food?

We know red meat is a good source of iron, but what other grocery items boost this essential mineral?

Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen around our body. Low iron stores may make us feel tired, reduce our ability to learn and stop our immune system from working properly. Young women are most at risk of low iron stores.

We get iron from a variety of animal and plant foods. Some foods may be fortified with iron. Iron from animal products is most easily used in our bodies and, although plant sources may contain plenty of iron, less is available to be used in our body. Eating foods high in vitamin C with a meal containing iron-rich foods can help our body use the iron better.

The daily Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) of iron for men is 8mg and women up to the age of 50 is 18mg.

We compared the amount of iron in these favourite foods to the recommended daily intake for adults.

Any product examples given here were correct at time of publication. However, remember to check the ingredients and nutrition information every so often, as these can change over time.

For more information on some of the benefits of getting enough iron see our 8 steps to healthy skin, hair and nails.