17/10/2026
It's World Iron Awareness Week!
Unfortunately, iron deficiency is relatively common, affecting around 30% of the world's population, particularly women and children.
Iron intake requirement is dependent on our age, stage, gender, physical activity, and our personal iron levels.
Swipe through for some top tips from to optimise iron intake whatever your requirement.
Enjoy a variety of nutritious foods every day to ensure you are eating a varied, balanced and healthy diet with plenty of whole foods.🍞🍤🍲🥝🥑🫘
Eat a mix of animal and plant protein foods. Iron is found in both animal and plant foods, but not all iron is created equal - our bodies absorb haem iron from animal sources better than non-haem iron from plants. 🍗🍓🥬
Eating meat and vegetables together allows your body to absorbs 2-3 times more iron from the vegetables. 🥩🥬🥦🥕
Enjoy lean red meat up to three times a week to provide easily absorbed haem iron.🥩🍔🍝
Think red for higher iron content. Red meats are generally richer in haem iron than chicken and fish; a common rule of thumb is the redder the meat, the higher the iron content.🥩
Add vitamin C foods to your meal to help iron absorption. 🍊🍋🫑🍅🥝
Space out tea and coffee as the tannins in them can reduce how much iron you absorb. ☕🍵🕗
Plan meals carefully if you are at risk of low iron. 🍴📃
Which tips will you implement this week?
