by guest blogger Caroline Praderio, food and nutrition writer for Prevention magazine and EatClean.com
You apparently got the message that eating too much red meat is bad for you, the animals, and the environment, and that we should all eat less of it.
If we eat less beef, won’t we also eat less iron? Iron is an important mineral for keeping us energized and getting oxygen to cells.
Actually, no. There is a lot of iron in red meat—two grams of iron in 4 ounces of lean ground beef 5 mg, or 14% of your daily value), you can get this mineral from many tasty plant and animal foods that leave behind much less carbon dioxide and, in some cases, have even more iron than beef.
Of course, its important to note that iron from animals is more readily absorbed than iron from plants. “So vegetarians and vegans should consume around 1. 8 times the recommended daily value,” says Sharon Palmer, RDN, author of The Plant Powered Diet. And for women over 50, that’s 14 mg per day. That’s 32 mg per day for women 31 to 50 years old. You can also get more plant-based iron if you eat it with something that gives you vitamin C, like lemon juice. Advertisement.
That being said, here are 8 tasty foods that have more iron than a serving of beef.
Kidney beans are high in protein and fiber, and they taste great in this healthy three-bean salad. The 4 mg of iron (22% DV) in each cup is an added bonus.
Three sixths of your daily value for iron is in one cup of cooked spinach. It also has more than a full day’s worth of vitamin A and almost a third of your daily value for calcium. (Theres a reason Popeye loved this stuff!)Advertisement.
If you don’t like spinach, a cup of cooked Swiss chard has a good amount of iron (22%DV). (We love it in this vegetarian lasagna. ).
Heat up 1 cup of frozen edamame for a high-protein snack that delivers 3. 5 mg of iron (19% DV). Fun fact: It also packs more potassium than a banana (as do these other foods).
You can get a huge 39% daily value of iron from each cup of cooked lentils, which is even more reason to make this crazy-easy Italian lentil soup.
This hearty breakfast staple packs 4 mg of iron (22% DV) in each half cup. That’s the exact amount of oats you need to make one of these tasty do-it-yourself instant oatmeal packets. ).
It’s a complete vegetarian protein, which means it has all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own, and it has 3 mg of iron (17% DV) per cooked cup. Sometimes we wonder if quinoa is just showing off. Advertisement.
Slurp down six oysters for 4 mg of iron (22% DV). That same serving also satisfies your daily requirement of hard-to-get dietary zinc.
Caroline Praderio is the food and nutrition writer for Prevention magazine and EatClean. com. She was born in Massachusetts, went to Emerson College, and has won two awards from the International Regional Magazine Association. When shes not writing, she loves to read, cook, and rehearse with her dance company.
How Much Iron Is In Beef Mince? A Thorough Breakdown
Beef mince, also known as ground beef, is a kitchen staple around the world. From tacos to meatballs to hamburgers, this versatile meat can be used in endless recipes.
But how much iron does beef mince actually contain? As a nutrient vital for health it’s important to understand the iron content of different foods.
In this article we’ll break down the iron levels in beef mince and discuss
- Recommended daily intake of iron
- Iron content of beef mince
- Beef mince compared to other iron sources
- Benefits and risks of getting iron from beef
- Environment impact of beef production
- Tips for getting iron from plant-based sources
Let’s dive in!
Recommended Daily Iron Intake
Before determining how much iron beef mince contains, it helps to understand how much iron we need on a daily basis.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for iron varies based on age gender and life stage. For adults the RDA for iron is
- Men: 8 mg/day
- Women younger than 50: 18 mg/day
- Women over 50: 8 mg/day
During pregnancy, the RDA increases to 27 mg/day. And for children and teens, the RDA ranges from 7-15 mg/day depending on age.
Consuming the recommended amount of iron can help prevent anemia, a condition where your body lacks enough healthy red blood cells. It’s also vital for proper growth and development in children and teens.
Now let’s see how beef mince stacks up in terms of meeting our iron needs.
Iron Content In Beef Mince
Beef mince contains both heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron comes from animal sources and is more easily absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron comes from plant sources and is less bioavailable.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a 100 gram serving (3.5 oz) of lean ground beef contains 2.7 mg of iron. This includes 1.6 mg heme iron and 1.1 mg non-heme iron.
A standard serving size of beef mince is often 4 ounces or 113 grams. This would contain:
- Total iron: 3 mg
- Heme iron: 1.8 mg
- Non-heme iron: 1.2 mg
That 3 mg of iron covers 17% of the RDA for men and 14% for women under 50. Not too shabby for one serving!
Compared to other meats, beef mince has a higher iron content than chicken or pork, but less than liver or oysters. It provides a decent boost of the essential mineral.
Beef Mince vs. Other Iron Sources
While beef mince contains a good amount of iron, how does it compare to other iron-rich foods?
Here’s an overview of the iron content in 4 ounces (113 g) of some common iron sources:
- Beef mince: 3 mg
- Chicken liver: 12 mg
- Lentils: 3.3 mg
- Spinach: 3.2 mg
- Tofu: 2 mg
- Chickpeas: 2.2 mg
- Pumpkin seeds: 2 mg
As you can see, organ meats like liver have exceptionally high levels. But some plant foods like lentils and spinach contain comparable amounts of iron to beef mince.
Chickpeas, tofu and pumpkin seeds also deliver a decent iron boost. So you have lots of options when trying to meet your recommended daily intake.
It’s ideal to get iron from a variety of whole food sources like meat, seafood, legumes, nuts and green leafy vegetables. Your body absorbs iron best when you ingest it through a diverse diet.
Benefits and Risks of Iron From Beef
Given the iron content of beef mince, what are some benefits and potential risks of getting iron from this source?
Some benefits of the iron in beef mince include:
- Easily absorbed heme iron
- Contains both heme and non-heme iron
- Provides muscle-building protein
- Added iron from grass-fed beef
Some drawbacks and risks include:
- High in saturated fats
- May increase heart disease and certain cancer risks in excess
- Resource-intensive to produce beef
- Environmental impact of cattle farming
In moderation, beef can be an effective addition to an iron-rich diet. But limiting red meat intake and getting iron from plant sources as well can reduce health and environmental risks.
Environmental Impact of Beef Production
Speaking of environmental impact, how does beef production and cattle farming affect the planet? Here’s a quick overview:
-
Beef requires 20 times more land and emits 20 times more greenhouse gasses per gram of edible protein compared to common plant proteins like beans or peas.
-
Cattle farming is the largest driver of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Between 2009-2019, around 25,000 km2 were deforested every year in Brazil mainly for cattle ranching.
-
The beef industry demands vast amounts of water for irrigation of cattle feed crops and providing drinking water for cattle. On average beef has a water footprint of 15,400 liters per kilogram compared to the water footprint of plant-based protein sources which ranges from about 322 liters per kilogram for fruits, to about 1,644 liters per kilogram for grains.
-
Livestock like cattle produce methane as part of their digestive process, accounting for about 14.5 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
So while beef can provide valuable nutrition like iron, overconsumption of beef and cattle farming practices create immense strain on the environment. Finding sustainable and eco-friendly ways to meet iron needs is key.
Tips for Getting Iron from Plant-Based Sources
If you’re looking for plant-based ways to get your daily dose of iron, here are some helpful tips:
-Cook with cast iron pans – iron from the pan leaches into foods.
-Eat iron-fortified cereals or grains regularly as an easy way to up your intake.
-Pair plant foods high in vitamin C like citrus, peppers or broccoli with iron-rich meals to boost absorption.
-Soak and sprout grains, nuts, seeds and legumes to break down phytates that inhibit iron absorption.
-If drinking coffee or tea with meals, wait at least an hour afterwards to consume iron-rich foods as the tannins can inhibit iron absorption.
-Try soaking dried fruits in an iron-fortified lemon or orange juice for added iron and vitamin C.
-Use cooking methods like sautéing, roasting and grilling to enhance non-heme iron absorption from plant foods.
Focus on getting your daily iron needs from wholesome real foods whenever possible for optimal nutrition. With a balanced plant-based diet full of iron-rich options, you can easily meet your RDA.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, how much iron does beef mince contain? In a 4 ounce serving, you’ll get around 3 mg of easily absorbed heme iron plus 1-2 mg of non-heme iron. This covers 14-17% of the RDA for adults.
While beef provides decent iron levels, overconsumption poses potential health and environmental risks. Getting your iron from a variety of sustainable whole food sources is ideal for both your body and the planet.
With a balanced plant-based diet full of legumes, greens, nuts, seeds and iron-fortified foods, meeting your iron needs is totally achievable. Focus on iron-rich real foods, and use beef sparingly as part of an overall healthy and eco-friendly eating pattern.
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by guest blogger Caroline Praderio, food and nutrition writer for Prevention magazine and EatClean.com
So you got the memo that excessive red meat consumption is a disaster for the environment and your health, not to mention the animals, and that we should all eat less of it.
If we eat less beef, won’t we also eat less iron? Iron is an important mineral for keeping us energized and getting oxygen to cells.
Actually, no. There is a lot of iron in red meat—two grams of iron in 4 ounces of lean ground beef 5 mg, or 14% of your daily value), you can get this mineral from many tasty plant and animal foods that leave behind much less carbon dioxide and, in some cases, have even more iron than beef.
Of course, its important to note that iron from animals is more readily absorbed than iron from plants. “So vegetarians and vegans should consume around 1. 8 times the recommended daily value,” says Sharon Palmer, RDN, author of The Plant Powered Diet. And for women over 50, that’s 14 mg per day. That’s 32 mg per day for women 31 to 50 years old. You can also get more plant-based iron if you eat it with something that gives you vitamin C, like lemon juice. Advertisement.
That being said, here are 8 tasty foods that have more iron than a serving of beef.
Kidney beans are loaded with fiber and protein (and they make a damn good addition to this clean three-bean salad). The 4 mg of iron (22% DV) in each cup is an added bonus.
Youll get 6 mg of iron (36% DV) in each cup of cooked spinach–plus almost one-third of your daily value for calcium and more than a full days supply of vitamin A. (Theres a reason Popeye loved this stuff!)Advertisement
Spinach not your thing? A cup of cooked swiss chard delivers a respectable 4 mg of iron (22% DV). (We love it in this vegetarian lasagna.)
Heat up 1 cup of frozen edamame for a high-protein snack that delivers 3.5 mg of iron (19% DV). Fun fact: It also packs more potassium than a banana (as do these other foods).
Theres a whopping 7 mg of iron (39% DV) in each cup of cooked lentils–all the more reason to make this crazy-easy Italian lentil soup.
This hearty breakfast staple packs 4 mg of iron (22% DV) in each half cup. (Hint hint: Thats the exact amount of oats you need to make one of these delicious DIY instant oatmeal packets.)
It’s a complete vegetarian protein, which means it has all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own, and it has 3 mg of iron (17% DV) per cooked cup. Sometimes we wonder if quinoa is just showing off. Advertisement.
Slurp down six oysters for 4 mg of iron (22% DV). That same serving also satisfies your daily requirement of hard-to-get dietary zinc.
Caroline Praderio is the food and nutrition writer for Prevention magazine and EatClean. com. She was born in Massachusetts, went to Emerson College, and has won two awards from the International Regional Magazine Association. When shes not writing, she loves to read, cook, and rehearse with her dance company.
Adapted from a story originally published on EatClean.com.
For more from Maria Rodale, visit www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com
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As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. Thats why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, well bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you cant find elsewhere. As things stand in politics right now, we take our job as reporters very seriously, and we appreciate your support.
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How to cook ground beef for maximum flavor | I bet you didn’t know this!
FAQ
Is mince meat high in iron?
How much iron do you get from mince?
|
Iron in food
|
mg iron
|
|
200g beef steak
|
7
|
|
1 cup beef mince
|
5
|
|
1 chicken breast fillet
|
2
|
|
1 fish fillet
|
1
|
How much iron is in 4 ounces of red meat?
|
Protein (g)
|
21.01
|
|
Fiber, total dietary (g)
|
0
|
|
Calcium, Ca (mg)
|
16.95
|
|
Iron, Fe (mg)
|
2.36
|
|
Magnesium, Mg (mg)
|
20.34
|
How much iron is in beef mince?
Beef mince, also known as ground beef, is a popular ingredient in many dishes, from burgers to spaghetti bolognese. But how much iron does it actually contain? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one 4 oz serving of lean ground beef contains 2.5 mg of iron, which is 14% of your daily value.
How much iron is in ground beef?
But how much iron does it actually contain? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one 4 oz serving of lean ground beef contains 2.5 mg of iron, which is 14% of your daily value. Grass-fed ground beef contains slightly less at 1.9 mg per 100 grams.
Should you eat beef mince for iron?
However, it’s important to consider the potential drawbacks of consuming beef mince for iron. Red meat, including beef mince, is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems.
Is ground beef a good source of iron?
Grass-fed ground beef contains slightly less at 1.9 mg per 100 grams. While beef mince is a good source of iron, it’s important to note that excessive consumption of red meat can have negative impacts on your health and the environment. It’s recommended that women aim for 18 mg of iron per day, while men only need 8 mg.