When schools implement “climate-smart” school lunches, by replacing meat with plant-based food, the amount of iron absorbed by the body decreases. Teenage girls are particularly affected, according to a thesis from the University of Gothenburg.
The thesis collected data through a survey sent to the municipalities’ food services, where 167 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities responded. Furthermore, 76 school menus were analyzed over a four-week period.
The results show that none of the analyzed menus provided enough absorbable iron for girls who have a higher need. Often, beef is replaced with plant-based protein sources such as soy to make them more so-called climate-friendly, but even though soy is high in iron, the body cannot absorb it all.
– Soy-based dishes are high in iron, but the body can only absorb around 3% of it. For girls, who have high iron requirements, this is particularly problematic, says Mari Wollmar, author of the thesis, in a press release.
In comparison, the body was able to absorb about 14% of the iron from beef-based dishes, which are thought to have the highest climate impact.
Furthermore, the research shows that it is often women who eat less meat, and more food that is said to have less climate impact. This makes them more vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies.
Wollmar has developed a “hybrid recipe” that combines plant-based ingredients with a small amount of meat and vitamin C-rich foods that increase iron absorption.
– These recipes reduced the climate impact by 38%, while the nutritional content was sufficient and the taste was appreciated by a test panel, says Wollmar.
A recently published study from Lund University shows that more than one in three Swedish female high school students is iron deficient. The risk was particularly high among vegans and vegetarians.
