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Nutrition
- American Dietetic Association
- Ask the Dietitian
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- Food and Nutrition -- USDA
- Food and Nutrition Information Center
- Meeting Women's Calcium and Iron Needs
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- Winter Energy Foods
Meeting Women's Calcium and Iron Needs
Calcium is essential throughout life. A low calcium intake appears to be a contributing factor in osteoporosis, which affects one in four post-menopausal women. However, an adequate calcium intake during childhood, adolescence and early adulthood ensures maximum bone mass.
How much calcium do women need?
| Age | RDA/Female |
| 19 to 24 | 1,200 mg |
| 25 to 50 | 800 mg |
| 51 and over | 800 mg |
Leading sources of calcium:
|
Food |
Calcium (mg) |
| Sardines, pacific canned in tomato sauce - 1 can | 888 mg |
| Yogurt, nonfat, plain - 8 oz | 452 mg |
| Yogurt, low fat, plain - 8 oz | 415 mg |
| Sardines, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained - 1 can | 351 mg |
| Ricotta cheese, part skim - 1/2 cup | 337 mg |
| Parmesan cheese, hard - 1 oz | 336 mg |
| Yogurt, low fat, fruit - 8 oz | 314 mg |
| Milk, skim, regular - 1 cup | 302 mg |
| Romano cheese | 302 mg |
Source: The Wellness Nutrition Counter (1997), Rebus, Inc., New York, NY
IRON
Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional problems in the United States. Women are at increased risk of iron deficiency for many reasons: blood loss during menstruation, increased iron needs during pregnancy, and blood loss associated with childbirth. Occasionally everyone experiences the feeling of being run down; however, always being tired may be a sign of iron deficiency, and you should consult your family physician if you suspect a problem.
How much iron do women need?
| Age | RDA/Female |
| 19 to 24 | 15 mg |
| 25 to 50 | 15 mg |
| 51 and over | 10 mg |
Leading sources of iron:
| Food | Iron (mg) |
| Bran flakes cereal - 1 cup | 24.0 mg |
| Product 19 cereal - 1 cup | 24.0 mg |
| Total cereal - 1 cup | 18.0 mg |
| Life cereal - 1 cup | 12.2 mg |
| Tofu, raw, firm, 3.5 oz | 10.4 mg |
| Cream of Wheat - 1 cup | 10.3 mg |
|
Raisin Bran cereal - 1 cup |
9.3 mg |
| Oatmeal, instant, fortified, plain - 1 cup | 8.3 mg |
| Apricots, dried, sulfured - 1 cup | 6.1 mg |
| Beef liver, braised - 3 oz | 5.8 mg |
| Kix cereal - 1 cup | 5.4 mg |
| Cheerios cereal - 1 cup | 3.6 mg |
| Tuna, canned, in water, light, drained - 3.5 oz | 3.2 mg |
| Shrimp, cooked, moist heat - 3.5 oz | 3.1 mg |
| Prune juice | 3.0 mg |
| Bagels - 1 | 2.8 mg |
| Potatoes, fresh, baked, with skin - 1 potato | 2.8 mg |
| Sirloin steak, cooked - 3 oz | 2.8 mg |
| Rice, white, cooked - 1 cup | 2.8 mg |
| Turkey, leg, roasted - 3.5 oz | 2.7 mg |
| Shrimp, cooked - 3 oz | 2.6 mg |
| Chocolate, semisweet chips - 1/2 cup | 2.6 mg |
| Egg noodles, cooked - 1 cup | 2.5 mg |
| Turkey, dark meat roasted - 3.5 oz | 2.3 mg |
| Baked beans, w/franks canned - 1/2 cup | 2.2 mg |
| Lima beans, baby, cooked - 1/2 cup | 2.2 mg |
| Lima beans, large, canned - 1/2 cup | 2.2 mg |
| Sesame seeds, kernels, toasted - 1 oz | 2.2 mg |
| Avocados, California - 1 medium | 2 mg |
| English muffins, mixed grain - 1 muffin | 2 mg |
| Spaghetti cooked - 1 cup | 2 mg |
| Pita bread, whole-wheat - 1 large | 1.9 mg |
| Rolls, hard (including kaiser) - 1 roll | 1.9 mg |
| Sunflower seed kernels, toasted - 1 oz | 1.9 mg |
| Black beans, cooked - 1 cup | 1.8 mg |
| Sweet potato, canned, mashed - 1/2 cup | 1.7 mg |
| Avocados, Florida - 1 medium | 1.6 mg |
| Oatmeal, reg/quci/instant, cooked - 1 cup | 1.6 mg |
| Rice Krispies cereal - 1 cup | 1.8 mg |
| Pita bread, white - 1 large | 1.6 mg |
| Pork, tenderloin, roasted, trimmed - 3.5 oz | 1.5 mg |
| Turkey, breast meat, no skin, roasted - 3.5 oz | 1.5 mg |
| Olives, ripe, canned, - 5 jumbo-super colossal | 1.4 mg |
| Tomato juice, canned - 1 cup | 1.4 mg |
| Chicken, drumstick, roasted - 3.5 oz | 1.3 mg |
| Peanuts, raw - 1 oz | 1.3 mg |
| Apples, dried, sulfured - 1 cup | 1.2 mg |
| Peas, green, fresh, boiled - 1/2 cup | 1.2 mg |
| Figs, dried - 1/4 cup | 1.1 mg |
| Prunes, dried - 1/4 cup | 1.1 mg |
| Pineapple, canned, crushed, slices, chunks - 1 cup | 1 mg |
| Raisins - 1/4 cup | .9 mg |
Sources: The Wellness Nutrition Counter (1997), Rebus, Inc., New York, NY; Jackson Gastroenterology: http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtot38.htm