Vitamin C Helps You Absorb More Plant-Based Iron  

Sometimes nutrients have a synergistic effect, working better together than when consumed in isolation. Such is the case with iron and vitamin C. Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron, especially the type found in plant foods. 

Iron insufficiency is quite common1, which is concerning since this mineral plays an essential role in energy production, brain health, and immunity. So not only is it important to consume enough iron, but you also need to make sure your body is able to absorb and utilize it.  

Dietary iron comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. Heme iron comes from animal food sources like meat, poultry, and fish. This is the most readily absorbable form of dietary iron2, and the body is able to pull about 15% to 35% of that iron into its system. But animal foods only contribute so much to our diet. And it's estimated that 10% of all daily absorbed iron comes from heme sources. Only one-tenth of absorbed dietary iron comes from heme iron. 

Vitamin C—aka ascorbic acid—is one factor that can enhance non-heme iron absorption.  

It transforms iron molecules from plants into compounds that can be more easily absorbed by the intestinal wall. Fruits and vegetables are naturally high in vitamin C, and anytime you eat a vegetable-heavy meal (which should be often) make sure there is an additional source of vitamin C present to really help maximize absorption. 

Since most of the iron in our diets comes from non-heme sources2, squeezing the highest amount of iron out of foods you already eat could potentially mean the difference between having insufficient and sufficient iron stores in the body.  

But there's an endless number of ways you can couple foods to get both iron and vitamin C in at the same meal. Use these lists to mix and match what sounds good to you. 

There are also some foods that decrease iron absorption, and it's best to separate these foods from iron-rich meals.

Coffee and tea both contain tannins and other polyphenols, which are known to inhibit iron absorption4 specifically from non-heme foods. Opt to have coffee or tea an hour before an iron-rich meal or over an hour after the meal. 

Many people may still not be getting the iron they need through diet alone, and that's where supplementation comes into play. To help fill that gap, mindbodygreen formulated ultimate multivitamin+ with an optimized iron dose of 9 milligrams of a premium amino acid chelated form of iron (ferrous bisglycinate chelate).* For comparison, ½ cup of boiled spinach provides about 3.2 milligrams of iron.