The Claim

For female adults aged 19–50 years, modeling analyses indicate that it is not feasible to construct a lowest-cost diet that meets all nutrient requirements when accounting for the bioavailability of protein, vitamins, iron, and zinc, suggesting that current recommended intakes—particularly for iron and zinc—may be unattainable through affordable, available foods under these modeled conditions.

Source: The Role of Beef for the Lowest Cost and Adequate Provision of Bioavailable Nutrients in Modeled Diets at a Population Level in the United States

What the research says

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Supports
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Challenges
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Description
1 study reviewed
In plain English

It might be really hard for women between 19 and 50 to get enough iron and zinc from affordable, everyday foods—even if they're trying to eat the cheapest healthy diet possible.

See the scientific wording

For female adults aged 19–50 years, it was not possible to create a modeled diet that meets all nutrient requirements at lowest cost when bioavailability of protein, vitamins, iron, and zinc is considered, suggesting that current recommended intakes—especially for iron and zinc—may be difficult to achieve affordably with available foods under these assumptions.

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: The Role of Beef for the Lowest Cost and Adequate Provision of Bioavailable Nutrients in Modeled Diets at a Population Level in the United States

    The study shows that when your body can’t absorb all the nutrients from food perfectly, it’s harder and more expensive to get enough iron and zinc from food—especially without animal products like beef.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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