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Show jgp Cimiininmnimg IimiteEreit Getting more iron into your meals by Dennis Hinkamp, Consumer information writer, Utah State University Although vitamin and mineral ads would have you believe that everyone needs more iron, getting it from pills may not be necessary. Dr. Art Mahoney, professor of nutrition and food sciences at Utah State University, says you can increase the iron in your diet by following a few simple suggestions. "You don't even have to eat different foods. Just by cooking in iron skillets and pots you can substantially increase the iron content of your meals. This is especially true when you cook foods high in acid, Mahoney says. For instance, spaghetti sauce is acidic because of the tomatoes. Cooking the sauce in an iron pot will yield almost 30 times more iron than if it were cooked in a stainless steel or non-stick coated pan, Mahoney says. Eggs, gravy, rice, potatoes and beans will all benefit from iron cookware. He says nearly all foods can yield more iron simply by being prepared in iron cookware. "Another guideline is to serve high iron content foods (spinach, beans, beef, whole grains) with a food high in vitamin C and or acidity. These combinations make it easier for the body to use the iron available in the foods," Mahoney says. Foods such as an orange, grapefruit, tomato or some cabbage will help enhance iron retention. Saurkraut is doubly helpful because it is high in acid and vitamin C, he says. Mahoney says even some fairly common meals, such as hamburger, string beans and mashed potatoes, are high in iron. This single meal would yield about half the iron an adult male needs each day. A serving of saurkraut and sausage yields 100 percent of an adult male's daily iron needs. "Pregnant women, young children and persons on low-calorie diets may need extra iron as prescribed by their doctors. For most of us, though, our iron needs can be easily met through proper cooking and food selection." |