Beef + Lamb New Zealand is teaming up with rugby world champion Stacey Waaka to encourage Kiwi teenage girls and women to eat beef and lamb more frequently to help prevent concerning health statistics.
It is the first campaign in five years for Beef + Lamb New Zealand and addresses statistics from the last National Nutrition Survey that show over a third of teenage girls don’t achieve their daily iron requirements and one in 14 women are low in iron.
Waaka says nutrition is incredibly important to her and a big part of her success and what she is about. Therefore, she wants to do what she can to make sure others are doing all they can.
“Our young teen girls and wāhine especially have greater iron requirements than most and being low in iron can really impact their well-being, productivity and energy levels.
“Like me, they’ll get so much more out of life with their iron tanks full!” says Waaka.
The easily absorbed iron in New Zealand beef and lamb can certainly help Kiwis out with that says Beef + Lamb CEO, Kit Arkwright.
“Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health) stats (from October 2022) show women eat less serves of red meat than men on a weekly basis, so we knew we needed to reach that audience with our messaging.
“Who better than a wonderful wāhine toa like Stacey to help us do that,” says Arkwright.
“Plus, if you think Stacey’s a force on the rugby field, you should see her with a pair BBQ tongs in her hands!”
Beef and lamb are a natural source of protein, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. These nutrients are essential for growth, development, and general well-being.
Waaka says beef and lamb can be part of a well-balanced diet and can help increase your iron intake.
“I’ve learned that one of the best ways to top up my body’s iron stores is through including iron-rich foods, like beef and lamb, in my diet. If you’re like me and love eating red meat you can enjoy it up to three times a week.
“A nutritious balanced diet is personal to me and a super important part of what fuels me as a professional athlete.
“It tastes pretty damn good too!” says Waaka smiling.
