Beef-up
Iron is a really important mineral,
especially for teenage girls. It is vital for
red blood cell formation. Red blood cells
help transport oxygen around the body.
Many young people don't have enough
iron in their diet because they are
growing quickly, have busy lifestyles and
use up a lot of energy - and because they
choose the wrong food!
Too little iron in
the diet can cause a nutritional
deficiency called anaemia. Teenage girls
need to keep their iron intake up, as their
iron levels may be lower following
menstruation.
Beef is an iron-rich food. The iron in beef
is in a form which is easily absorbed by
our bodies.
Vitamin C also helps us to absorb iron, so
drink fruit juice with a meal, or have
vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
green peppers or potatoes (all good sources
of Vitamin C).
Iron
In the MVM 9 video, Nicky Gilbert a sports
dietitian talks about the importance of iron
in the diet, particularly to teenage girls and
athletes. Here we look at how beef boosts
our iron levels and the low fat content of
lean beef.
more about lean beef
