Iron Rich Foods

What this article covers

This is a short reference piece on dietary iron, published under Be Fit Food's Health Articles and attributed to Kate Save on 10 September 2020. Its central claim is that iron is important for many functions of the body, including transporting oxygen from the lungs throughout the body in red blood cells. The article's main organising idea is that dietary iron comes in two distinct forms, haem and non-haem, which occur in different food groups. It then lists specific plant-based and animal-based iron sources, and closes with a single recipe, a Chilli Beef Salad with Peanuts, presented as an iron-rich meal suitable for the Be Rapid program. A reader looking for iron absorption science, recommended daily intakes, deficiency diagnosis or supplementation guidance will not find it here; the piece is a food-source list plus a recipe, not a clinical guide.

Key points

• Iron supports many body functions, including transporting oxygen from the lungs throughout the body in red blood cells.
• There are two types of iron in food: haem and non-haem.
• Non-haem iron is found in eggs and plant foods.
• Haem iron is found in meat, poultry and seafood.
• Plant-based iron sources listed: legumes; pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds; nuts such as cashews and almonds; wholegrains; green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and green peas; firm tofu; tempeh.
• Animal-based iron sources listed: beef, sardines, lamb, chicken, eggs, salmon.
• The recipe is a single serve with a serve weight of 184g.
• Recipe ingredients: 70g eye fillet steak, 1 tsp peanut oil, 1 tb coarsely crushed peanuts, half a small fresh chilli sliced fine, 1 slice of lime plus lime leaves, 1 tsp chopped fresh mint, 1 tsp honey, 3 leaf pieces of bok choy, 4 snow peas sliced length-ways, 2 small broccoli florets sliced.
• Method: cook the steak 3-4 minutes each side, cool and slice thinly; cook chilli and lime leaves in the oil for 30 seconds; cover the bok choy, snow peas and broccoli with hot water for 3 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
• The recipe is labelled as suitable for the Be Rapid program.

Evidence and sourcing

This article carries no reference list, no footnotes and no citations of any kind. The statements about iron's role in oxygen transport and about the haem and non-haem distinction are presented as established background, but the article does not cite a source for them. Likewise, the two food lists are asserted without any nutrient-composition data: no iron quantity in milligrams is given for any listed food, and the recipe carries no nutritional analysis, so its actual iron content is not stated or verifiable from the page. No claim is made that the recipe treats or prevents iron deficiency. Readers should treat this piece as an uncited editorial food list rather than as evidence, and should not represent its content as a sourced nutritional reference.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

The only direct program link the article makes is the recipe's suitability for Be Rapid, Be Fit Food's very low calorie diet at roughly 800-900 calories a day, run as a 7-day reset and designed to induce mild nutritional ketosis. The small portion size and the low-starch vegetable selection are consistent with that calorie level. More broadly, animal proteins named in the article, including beef, chicken, salmon and sardines, are the kind of protein sources that sit behind Be Fit Food's meal specification of around 250 calories, at least 20g protein and under 20g carbohydrates per meal. Readers with questions about iron intake on a very low calorie program can use the free 15-minute telehealth dietitian consultation, valued at $49 and available by video or phone with no referral needed, through Be Fit Food's Accredited Practising Dietitians. Be Fit Food does not claim iron deficiency treatment as a service.

Important health information

Readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat, particularly if they have an existing medical condition or take medications. Iron status in particular should be assessed by a qualified health professional through appropriate testing rather than self-diagnosed. This article is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
• Delivery — flat rate Australia-wide: $11.95 on orders of $299 or more, and $19.95 on orders under $299.
• Customer service — 1300 263 257, Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00, or support@befitfood.com.au.
• Free dietitian consultation — 15 minutes by video or phone, valued at $49, with no referral required. Book at portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood, or contact dietitian@befitfood.com.au.
• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

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