Iron is very important during pregnancy for both you and your developing baby. Iron plays a crucial role in transporting oxygen all around the body and also plays an important role in protecting overall health.
Dietary iron exists in two forms haem iron and non haem iron. Haem iron is more readily absorbed by the body and is sourced from red meat such as beef, lamb and pork. Non-haem iron is less well absorbed from the body and is sourced from eggs, leafy green vegetables and pulses. Consuming a food rich in Vitamin C such as tomatoes, peppers or citrus fruits will help improve the absorption of non-haem iron sources.
It is recommended that pregnant women consume approx. 15mg of iron from their meals every day. Here are a few examples of the amount of iron in commonly eaten foods:
|
Foods rich in HAEM IRON |
Serving Size (g) |
Iron content (mg) |
| Red Meat | ||
|
Average portion* of lean beef |
120 | 3.2 |
|
Average portion* of lean lamb cutlets |
120 |
2.8 |
| Poultry | ||
|
Average* chicken breast |
120 |
1.3 |
| Fish | ||
|
Average portion* of cod |
120 |
0.5 |
|
1 small tin of sardines |
70 |
1.6 |
|
Foods rich in NON-HAEM IRON |
Serving Size (g) |
Iron content (mg) |
| 1 cup** fortified breakfast cereal |
30 |
2.4-4.2 |
| 1 small can of baked beans |
140 |
1.9 |
|
1 cup** boiled spinach |
90 |
1.4 |
|
1 boiled egg |
50 |
1 |
|
1 slice of wholemeal bread |
36 |
0.9 |
*Palm of hand
**200ml disposable cup
