It’s finally Spring here in New England! The sun is warm and despite what seems like a consistently chilly breeze, the birds are chirping & a new race season has arrived several of our athletes!
One of the critical micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) we need for health & performance is Iron. Iron, best known for its role in carrying oxygen to working muscles and other tissues, also plays a key role in energy production and nutrient metabolism.1 Yet it is common for female athletes have less than optimal iron status so it’s important to ensure dietary intake of iron is sufficient and meets the dietary intake requirements of 18mg/day for premenopausal women and 8mg/day for postmenopausal women, (though more may be required to address a deficiency).2
To help our athletes meet their Iron needs with a food first approach, the April recipe pack is all about Iron! The new recipe pack includes 16 plant-based recipes containing high iron content foods combined with foods high in vitamin C and A to boost absorption (and separated from calcium-rich foods which can inhibit iron absorption). Check out the Mason Jar Lentil Salad with Tahini (yum!) and the Cardamom Overnight Oats, a great option for a pre-training meal or snack. Download the new recipe pack on client page (login required) to get some fresh new meal plan ideas!
Nutrify can help you with meal planning to meet your nutritional needs. A 3-day sample meal plan is included in all of our nutrition coaching packages or you can select a meal plan only option for 3 days or 7 days with supporting recipes. Schedule a complimentary 15′ call to learn more.
References
1Gropper, S. S., Smith, J. L., & Carr, T. P. (2022). Iron: Functions and Mechanisms of Action. In Advanced nutrition and human metabolism (8th ed., pp. 537–540). essay, Cengage Learning, Inc.
2Institute of Medicine (US) Panel on Micronutrients. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. 9, Iron. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222309/
