A new report into the dietary recommendations for iron stresses the importance of including meat, fish and poultry in the diet as the best readily-absorbed sources of this nutrient. Iron is vital for transporting oxygen in the bloodstream and for the prevention of anemia. The report, the fifth in a series to establish new Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for both Canada and the United States, notes that iron deficiency among women, particularly pregnant women, is an important concern. The new DRI for menstruating women and teens is set at 18 milligrams per day, while pregnant women are advised to consume 27 milligrams per day. These values are higher than the previous Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intakes of 13 and 23 milligrams respectfully. The new iron DRI for men and post-menopausal women is 8 milligrams per day. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine in Washington added that " because the absorption of iron from plant foods is low compared to that from animal foods, vegetarians need to consume twice as much iron to meet their daily requirement."
