Ask Monica: What helps improve iron absorption?

Q. I stopped eating meat ten months ago. I believe my iron intake from green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, etc., is probably sufficient, but I'm concerned I'm not absorbing or processing the iron efficiently. What suggestions can you offer?

A. Iron from animal sources is more easily absorbed than the type of iron found in non-animal foods, and this can be a challenge for vegetarians. Vitamin C can significantly improve your ability to absorb iron from foods, so you may want to include some vitamin C-rich fruits or vegetables in meals that contain foods high in iron. For example, you could add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to your spinach salad. (Here's a list of vegetables that are high in both iron and vitamin C that I generated using ND's nutrient search tool.)

Another thing to be aware of is that phytates (found in bran and legumes) and tannins (found in tea and coffee) can inhibit the absorption of iron. So, for example, you might not absorb the iron from the raisins in a bran muffin as well as you would by eating the raisins alone. You don't need to eliminate these otherwise healthful foods from your diet: Just try not to always eat them at the same time as you eat iron-containing foods. Lastly, keep in mind that antacids can also interfere with iron absorption.