Iron consumption

cmarmstrong1
cmarmstrong1 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Really enjoying using MFP but am slightly concerned about the accuracy of some of the stats. For example I have 'iron' chosen as one of my settings as I think I may be low in it. According to the charts foods like kale and sausages contain none. Surely that's not right? I've only been using it for a few days, but at the moment i'm getting 2-3 percent of my recommended iron. Surely i'd be really sick if that were true? Anyone else noticed this problem?

Replies

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,929 Member
    If it's not legally required to be on food labels (and iron is not) then you can't trust the MFP database for it. It's largely user added, and a vast number of entries will show 0 for various nutrients which the food actually does contain.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,160 Member
    Most database entries are user created. Not all users are careful. Some apparently don't bother including values for things they don't themselves track. Always check the database entries you choose. Compare to the label on your food product, or you can compare whole foods and some branded foods to entries in the USDA nutrient database: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list

    Raw kale has about 1.5 mg of iron per 100 g of kale, or about 8% of the value used in setting the 100% standard for U.S. nutrition labels (18 mg), which the amount needed by adult, premenopausal women. Men and postmenopausal women need considerably less iron.

  • cmarmstrong1
    cmarmstrong1 Posts: 2 Member
    Ah, I see! Thank you both for your replies. And so I assume then that figures for all nutrients, even the macros, should be double checked - even more time consuming. Hmmm!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited June 2017
    My iron % is pitifully low according to mfp. I use as many USDA entries as possible, but because iron isn't listed on most food labels, the iron those foods contain aren't recorded in my diary.

    I went and had a blood test just to make sure, and my iron levels were great.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's not required on food labels which is where most database entries originate...same with things like potassium
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    To get that information you have to use the USDA entries, which works if you mostly eat whole foods, because they will not be on packages.

    I found that tracking iron was useless, because it's hard to get good information about how much we actually get from greens, for example, and people seem to vary a lot in how much they need from their diet. I've never been low in iron according to medical tests (like Christine says), even though I am not at all sure how much I get from my diet. (My mother has a condition where your body overstores iron, so I was curious about it and I do get tested.)
  • WendyLeigh1119
    WendyLeigh1119 Posts: 495 Member
    I will never understand why food labels aren't required to have accurate counts on things like Iron and Potassium. Iron is so touchy as far as being a little high or low and people with either one have to be super-careful about their diet. For me, I take Metformin which means I have to try to avoid foods higher in Potassium and can only really avoid things like bananas and "known" offenders.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,929 Member
    WendyLeigh1119 wrote: »
    I will never understand why food labels aren't required to have accurate counts on things like Iron and Potassium. Iron is so touchy as far as being a little high or low and people with either one have to be super-careful about their diet. For me, I take Metformin which means I have to try to avoid foods higher in Potassium and can only really avoid things like bananas and "known" offenders.

    Successful campaigning against it, related to cost, I'd expect.
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