It’s been a while since I’ve shared a new 1200 Calorie Sample Menu. Many younger women do not get enough iron in their every day diet. Obtaining enough iron on a low calorie diet is especially difficult. However, this menu will provide you with plenty of iron.
If you are over 51 or otherwise don’t need a lot of iron, you can easily adjust the total iron by changing a few of the menu choices. I’ve provided you with the iron count so that you can substitute other foods.
The cereal I selected for this menu has 8.1 mg of iron for a 3/4 cup serving. There are other cold cereals with significantly more iron but I intentionally stayed away from those because the day’s menu includes other iron-rich foods. Your body will absorb more of the iron if smaller amounts are consumed throughout the day.
Also, eating iron-rich foods along with a good dietary source of Vitamin C will aid the absorption of iron. For breakfast that source of Vitamin C is the orange juice. For lunch it is the tomato slices. And for supper it is the broccoli.
In addition to iron, this menu offers plenty of fiber. The recommended dietary fiber count for women between the ages of 19 and 51 is 25 g of fiber. For women over the age of 51 the recommended amount is 21 grams of fiber.
Sample Menu for 1200 Calories #14
Breakfast
3/4 cup Crunchy Corn Bran cereal (Quaker – 90 calories, 8.1 mg iron, 5 g)
4 oz. Skim Milk
4 oz. Orange Juice (56 calories)
1 Egg – Hard-boiled
Snack
6 oz. Yogurt – Creamy Raspberry Light n’ Fit (100 calories)
Lunch
6 Tbsp Hummus – 100 calories, (1.4 mg iron)
4 Slices Tomato
6 leaves Red Leaf Lettuce – (1.2 mg iron)
2 Slices Flax & Fiber Bread (Arnold, 160 calories, 5.4 mg iron)
water, unsweetened tea or coffee
Snack
1 medium apple with skin
1 cubic inch Low Fat Mozzarella (55 calories)
Supper
3 oz. Chicken Breast Roasted – (.9 mg iron)
1 small baked potato (138 calories, 1.6 mg iron)
Image via Wikipedia
1/2 cup Broccoli steamed
2 tsp. Light Butter with Canola Oil (Land O’ Lakes, 33 calories)
water, unsweetened tea or coffee
(Always remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day.)
Total Calories = 1216
Total Fiber = 32.5 g
Fat = 19%
Carbs = 58%
Protein = 24%
Calcium = 1101 mg (Women between 19 and 50 years need approximately 1,000 mg a day, 51+ need 1,200 + mg a day)
Iron = 21.1 mg (Women 19 to 50 years need 18 mg of iron, 51+ need 8 mg)
1500 Calorie Diet Menu
Modify the 1200 Calorie Diet Menu to fit your needs. Other than coming up a little short on calcium for women over 51, this is a healthy well-balanced menu. You can increase the total calories to 1500 by choosing larger portion sizes for any of the foods in the menu. Or you can add additional foods.
Till next time, remember to watch your calorie intake and stay healthy!
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks so much for this…I needed an idea of how to get more iron and fiber..just diagnosed with very low iron.
Very good diet, but if you are take iron supplements I would avoid eating fiber, calcium, and caffiene since it can block the absorption of iron. I would take my supplement either an 1 hour before or 1 hour after each meal.
Thanks Vanessa.
The absorption and utilization of any nutrient can be quite complicated. Here’s an excerpt on the absorption of iron from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
“There are two types of iron: heme and nonheme. Heme iron, found in animal products like meat, is easily absorbed while nonheme iron is found in plants and is less easily absorbed. Copper is needed for normal iron metabolism. Vitamin A assists with iron in eliminating anemia. Zinc and iron taken together may limit the absorption of zinc. Calcium and iron combined in a meal may decrease the absorption of iron. Other products that inhibit absorption are: phosphates (sodas), polyphenols (red wine, purple grape juice, coffee, tea, spices, some fruits, some vegetables), wheat bran, phytates (phytic acids found in legumes, grains and rice can decrease absorption by 50%), tannins (teas, coffees), manganese, cobalt, copper, cadmium (in cigarette smoke), calcium, legume protein (soybeans, lentils, black beans, mung beans, and split peas), lignin (fibrous tissued vegetables) and soy protein. Nonheme iron is more affected by the above inhibitors than heme iron.
Nonheme iron helpers that increase absorption: Vitaminc C, citric (fruit), malic, tartaric (tart fruit and baking powder) and lactic acids, alcohol, fructose, sorbitol, meat, fish and poultry.”
Source: Optimizing your Diet
Note for readers:
Who might need an iron supplement and how much can be quite complicated. When to take an iron supplement will also depend on individual circumstances. These are good questions to ask the physician responsible for your care.