John Myers
Does a cup of black tea – drunk right after eating green vegetables – inhibit the absorption of iron from the vegetables by 100%?
The absorption of iron from plant foods is inhibited by some natural substances. These include so-called tannins from tea and coffee. However, the amount of iron that humans can absorb from plants (so-called non-heme iron) is very small anyway. The human body can only utilize 1-10 percent of plant iron. The absorption can be improved with vitamin C. This makes the iron ions in the intestine more soluble. Drinking an orange juice close to an iron-rich plant-based meal is a possible tip.
Iron from animal foods (known as heme iron) is more readily available to the body. The acceptance rate here is 20-30 percent.
