14 • Snack on nuts or cheese. • Melt cheese into soups and sauces, or on top of casseroles, vegetables, bread and tortillas. • Use milk instead of water when making hot cereal, instant cocoa and soups. Iron The recommended daily dietary allowance for iron is: • 18 milligrams for adult women before menopause. • 8 milligrams for women after menopause. • 8 milligrams for adult men. Excellent 5 mg or more Enriched cereals, 1 cup Cream of Wheat, ½ cup Soybeans (cooked), ½ cup Oysters, 3 oz Kidney beans, 2 oz Beef and chicken liver, 3 oz Iron Food Sources Good 2 to 5 mg Instant oatmeal, 1 packet Dried beans and lentils (cooked), ½ cup Spinach (cooked), ½ cup Liquid meal replacement, 1 cup Tofu, ½ cup Corn tortillas (enriched), 2 Clams, 3 oz Lean beef and turkey, 3 oz Fair 1 to 2 mg Fish, lean poultry and pork, 3 oz Prune juice, ½ cup Dried fruit, ½ cup Peas (cooked), ½ cup Dark green, leafy vegetables, ½ cup Enriched rice and noodles, ½ cup Enriched bread, 1 slice Additional information on iron: • In general, meat provides the most readily available form of iron. However, enriched or fortified cereal, bread, rice and noodles also contain iron. • To enhance iron absorption, eat iron-rich foods with foods known to contain vitamin C (oranges, tomatoes and potatoes). • Use cast-iron skillets when cooking because food can absorb the iron. • If your iron absorption is low, an iron supplement may be recommended. Do NOT take iron supplements with milk. • Check with your doctor before taking iron supplements.
