Our bodies need iron to make hemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, says Suzie Finkel, RD, founder of Well Digested Nutrition.
“Iron plays a role in a wide range of life processes, including energy metabolism, respiratory processes, and growth and development. Iron deficiency in the body can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which often causes shortness of breath, fatigue, rapid heart rate, cold hands and feet, poor hair and nail growth, low strength, and pale skin,” she says.
There are two types of dietary iron: heme iron and non-heme iron, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Heme iron is found only in meat, fish and poultry, while non-heme iron is found in fruits, vegetables, dried beans, nuts and grain products. (You can also get this nutrient in the form of iron pills.)
Iron deficiency anemia occurs when red blood cells do not contain enough iron due to pregnancy, blood loss, a low-iron diet, or poor absorption of iron in the body. Taking iron supplements can help restore your iron levels, if recommended by a doctor.
Knowing which foods inhibit iron can help you keep your iron levels where they should be. Try to avoid these foods two hours before or after your main iron-rich meal.
1. Eggs
Do eggs block iron absorption? The answer is yes, because they contain phosvitin, a protein compound that binds iron molecules together and prevents the body from absorbing iron from food.
A boiled egg can reduce iron absorption by up to 28 percent, according to the Iron Disorders Institute.
2. Foods rich in calcium
Milk can also act as an inhibitor of iron absorption, potentially affecting your iron levels. The reason is calcium, an essential mineral and the only substance known to inhibit the absorption of nonheme and heme iron.
An 8-ounce glass of skim milk contains about 300 milligrams (mg) of calcium, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Calcium has little or no effect on iron absorption when you consume less than 50 mg, but it can inhibit the absorption of heme and non-heme iron when you take 300 to 600 mg per day.
So, does cheese block iron absorption? It’s possible, depending on how much you eat. More than one ounce serving is likely to inhibit iron absorption. Other calcium-rich foods, including yogurt, sardines, canned salmon, tofu, broccoli, figs, turnip greens, and rhubarb, can also block iron absorption.
3. Foods rich in oxalates
If you drink a lot of tea with your meals, you may not be getting enough iron from these foods.
Tea contains oxalates – oxalic acid compounds that impair the absorption of non-heme iron, according to the Iron Disorders Institute. Other foods high in oxalate include spinach, kale, beets, nuts, chocolate, wheat bran, rhubarb, strawberries, and herbs like oregano, basil, and parsley.
4. Foods rich in polyphenols
Both cocoa and coffee can inhibit iron absorption in the body because they contain polyphenols or phenolic compounds, also known as antioxidants, which help remove harmful floating cells from the body.
This also means that your morning cup of coffee inhibits iron absorption.
Cocoa can inhibit 90 percent of iron absorption in the body, while a cup of coffee can prevent iron absorption by up to 60 percent, according to the Iron Disorders Institute.
Other foods rich in polyphenols include apples, peppermint and some herbal teas, spices, nuts, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.
5. Nuts
Is there a link between nuts and iron absorption? Yes. These heart-healthy nuts can reduce the amount of iron your body absorbs from iron-rich foods. Nuts contain phytates, compounds found in soy protein and fiber. Even low levels of phytates have a strong inhibitory effect on your body’s ability to absorb iron from food.
Phytates can reduce the absorption of iron from food by about 50 to 65 percent, according to the Iron Disorders Institute.
Other sources of phytates include almonds, sesame, dried beans, lentils, peas, cereals and whole grains.
6. Medicines
It’s not exactly a food, but it’s important to know that some medications can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb iron.
In particular, medications that reduce the amount of acid in the stomach, including antacids and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), can affect absorption, according to the Iron Disorders Institute.
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