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Teenagers are renowned for being tired and moody, however before you dismiss their attitude as the usual teenage angst, be sure they are getting enough iron.

Insufficient intake of iron can lead to iron deficiency anaemia, which can cause irritability, moodiness, lethargy, loss of appetite, poor immune function, pale lips and gums, easy bruising and poor growth.

Within the body iron has many important functions including the transport of oxygen via blood which is essential for cellular function. For this reason it is particularly important to ensure adequate intake of iron during periods of rapid growth and development such as infancy, childhood, adolescence and pregnancy.

Teenage girls are especially vulnerable to iron deficiency (anaemia) not primarily because of their diet but the high iron losses that come with the onset of menarche (their first period). Of course fad dieting, due to perceived body weight issues, a means of asserting independence, or expressing ideologies such as animal rights through vegetarianism, can contribute to low iron levels too.

Iron is found in both plant and animal foods however animal sources such as red meat, liver, chicken and fish, are more readily absorbed then plant based sources. The rate of iron absorption from plant foods can be increased however by partnering them with good sources of vitamin C. This can increase the absorption rate of plant based iron (non-heme) six fold, making it quiet comparable with animal (heme) sources. Good plant based sources of iron include dried beans, lentils, peas, broccoli, spinach, kale and whole grains. Fortified breakfast cereals or breads can also be good options.

Between the age of 14 – 18 years (when iron needs are at their highest, with the exception of pregnancy) girls require about 15mg of iron per day.

By eating a range of foods from across the five food groups it should be possible to achieve an adequate intake of iron, however consult with your GP if you have any concerns.

The diet plan below deliberately excludes meat to demonstrate that it is still possible to meet iron requirements on a well-balanced plant based diet. Care has been taken to ensure adequate vitamin C is included at each meal to increase non-heme iron absorption. Recommended servings from each of the five food groups have also been met.

Breakfast: Wheat biscuits with raisins and milk

  • 3 Wheat biscuits (4 mg iron)
  • 1/4 cup raisin  (0.8mg iron)
  • 1 cup milk  (0.1mg iron)

Morning Snack: Almonds and watermelon

  • 2 slices Watermelon (1.4mg iron)
  • ¼ cup almonds (1.3mg iron)

Lunch: Split pea soup with a wholegrain roll and carrot sticks on the side

  • 1 whole grain bread roll (1.4mg iron)
  • 1.5 cup homemade split pea soup (3.5 mg iron)
  • ½ cup carrot sticks (0.1mg iron)

Afternoon Tea: Wholegrain and nut muesli bar and yoghurt

  • Oat and nut muesli bar (1.5mg iron)
  • 200g low fat yoghurt (0.2mg iron)

Dinner: Lentil Bolognese with hidden veggies

  • 1/2 cup brown lentils (3.3mg iron)
  • 1 cup spinach (1.8 mg iron)
  • ½  cup broccoli (0.5mg iron)
  • 100g of whole grain pasta (1.1mg iron)
  • Tomato based sauce (1.0mg iron)
  • 40g tasty cheese (0.3mg iron)

Total iron intake =22.3mg

tired and moody” image from Shutterstock
  • This is the same for adults, I regularly have to push veggies that are high in iron into my usual diet or end up back on iron tablets.

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  • That was a very interesting read and we know how complex teenagers are anyway, so any tip for parents to survive is always welcome. Always have them checked first as you don’t want to overload their iron if it is not necessary, this could have adverse effects. Have a great day.

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  • Love the non meat alternatives.

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  • Thanks for the list of non-meat iron sources. My daughters are always low on iron despite eating meat so other sources are very important for them. Will print this out and stick it on the fridge for easy reference.

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  • thanks for the useful info. i had no idea that the amount of iron in the veggies and fruit.

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  • The fact that you can increase the iron absorbed from
    Vegetable sources by vitamin c intake is a good excuse to have more vitamin c in your diet as it’s great for a variety of other things as well.

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  • girls do need more iron which is why we encourage our daughter to have a steak sandwich, good to know iron foods.

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  • Interesting but there is a lot to be said for certain diets. Kids are interesting and testing and loving and confusing.

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  • That’s a useful menu for people trying to cut down on meat, too.

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  • a very interesting and informative article

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  • Thank you for posting this article. We have a teen and he’s all over the place, we are trying to be understanding, but sometimes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Awesome Information, our teenage daughter has been sporting a few of these symptoms of late and we’ve been quite worried.

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  • good read. Our most fortunate timing of braces at 13 has made my daughter get very health conscious, as she doesn’t want to stain or get holes in her teeth. I can honestly say since she has been assessing what she eats, her mood, skin and health have all made a big improve. But Great to read some more tips. She will be interested in this article.

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  • Great article with a few surprise foods in there that I wasn’t aware of such as watermelon.

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  • This was a very interesting read as I have one very moody 13 year old so will have her tested I think see if it works

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  • Thank you for showing how much iron each food contains. While there are a few things there is now way l can get my son to eat, hopefully l can make it up buy increasing his Weetbix and homemade split pea soup and mine. I didn’t realise watermelon had iron. Looks like l will be increasing that too.

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  • Thank you so much for this article. My teenage daughter had her iron checked and her vitamin D and B’s all checked all very low. This plays havoc with their minds and moods and sleep pattern. They must get outside for at least 20 minutes every days. Walk to the park 10 minutes and back home. Teenagers studying in their rooms need a excuse to go outside so give them one. Ask them to walk the dog or run a errand or buy you some milk at the local shop.

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  • watermelon? i knew vitamin C helped absorb iron and that leafy greens are high in iron but watermelon slipped by me… i may have to slip more of that into the rotation now – thanks

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  • a very interesting read, I know that iron levels in children all seem to differ and there isn’t a set standard as yet

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  • I have read that eating tomato with meat can help you absorb iron better, is this true?

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