Iron Requirements for Women Increase
New dietary recommendations for iron, released Monday (January 9, 2026), demonstrate the importance of including meat, fish and poultry in the diet as the best readily-absorbed sources of this nutrient. Iron is vital for transporting oxygen in the bloodstream and for the prevention of anemia. A deficiency can have an adverse effect on resistance to infection, attention span, memory, learning ability, productivity, physical performance and endurance.
This report, the fifth in a series to establish new Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for both Canada and the United States, notes that iron deficiency among women, particularly pregnant women, is an important concern. The new DRI for menstruating women and teens is set at 18 milligrams per day, while pregnant women are advised to consume 27 milligrams per day to provide for the fetus. These values are higher than the previous Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intakes of 13 and 23 milligrams respectfully.
Men and non-menstruating women need less iron, as they are not regularly losing it through menstruation. The new iron DRI for men and post-menopausal women is 8 milligrams per day.
The report makes it clear that these values apply only to people eating a mixed diet that includes generous quantities of meat, fish and poultry. That’s because meats are not only rich in iron, but also contain a form of iron, known as heme iron, that is readily absorbed.
Vegetarians need double
In a press release, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine in Washington states: “Because the absorption of iron from plant foods is low compared to that from animal foods, vegetarians need to consume twice as much iron to meet their daily requirement.”
Some plant foods such as breads, cereals, legumes and certain vegetables contain iron, but iron absorption from these foods and from dietary supplements is low and can be affected by other components of the meal. Having meat, poultry, fish and/or foods rich in vitamin C at the same meal can enhance non-heme iron absorption.
“Considering absorbability provides a more realistic picture of whether or not people are getting enough iron than does evaluating total intake,” says Huguette Turgeon-O’Brien Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Laval.
In an analysis of the food records from 2,000 Quebecors, Dr. Turgeon-O’Brien found that over half the women did not meet previous (1990) Canadian recommendations of 13 milligrams of total iron.
“The results were even worse when we examined the data further to estimate absorbable iron,” commented Dr. Turgeon-O’Brien. “Only one out of four women consumed adequate absorbable iron.” When looking at food choices, Dr. Turgeon-O’Brien found that absorbable iron intake correlated closely with the amount of beef in the diet.
“Beef is the best source of readily-absorbable heme iron,” says Pat Scarlett RDN, nutrition manager for the Beef Information Centre. “One 90 g (3 oz) serving of cooked lean beef provides as much usable iron as four cups (1 L) of raw spinach.”
“As nutritionists, we often stress the importance of vegetables, but we mustn’t forget the role meat plays in the diet as a source of essential minerals,” concludes Dr. Turgeon-O’Brien. “Including beef regularly, as part of a healthy diet, is a good way to improve both iron and zinc status. In fact, we found that meat eaters tended to have more balanced meals overall, consuming more vegetables and grain products as well.”
