Most of the advice you see online for people who have anemia involves eating foods rich in iron. But you may also have read or heard that some foods can inhibit your iron absorption and make you more iron deficient. Let’s take a look at some of these claims.
The science
When I first wrote this article years ago, I’d just heard on the news that even though spinach was really rich in iron, it also had an ingredient that could block you from absorbing iron.
Well, that sucked. I pictured myself eating a nice juicy steak along with some spinach and feeling even more exhausted after the meal than I had before. Or maybe I’d take my doctor-advised iron supplement and it would do me no good because I’d eaten spinach for lunch.
Then I did some research. I found loads of blogs advising me that all sorts of foods could block iron absorption! And they had links to websites with medical names! It had to be true, right? And so I published my own article with several of these claims.
But scientists have been studying this issue ever since. And it turns out a lot of what I heard just wasn’t the whole story. None of it was completely false. But sometimes getting half the story is worse than getting none at all.
Foods and Anemia
Foods that Boost Iron Absorption
First of all, it turns out there’s at least one food that actually boosts your iron absorption: Vitamin C. You can squeeze a lemon wedge into your iced tea with an iron-rich lunch.
Or you can take a Vitamin C supplement. If you’re looking for one, I like Country Life Vitamin C chewable tablets. They have a better flavor than most brands and not so much of the chalky texture.
A supplement that does inhibit iron absorption
There is one supplement and food item you need to be aware of, for sure: calcium. Calcium does interfere with iron absorption. But there’s a strategy for making it work: you just need to take calcium supplements and iron supplements at different times of the day.
You should also be aware of calcium in food form. For example, the calcium in cheese could make a cheeseburger less helpful for your iron levels than a hamburger without it.
Foods to avoid… or not?
1. Spinach
As I said above, this whole learning journey started with a report that spinach contains oxalic acid, and OA can binds with the iron and keep your body from using it.
It turns out spinach does inhibit iron absorption, just not enough to worry about. And it’s not the OA that’s the problem – it’s the calcium and some other ingredients.
2. Red wine
It’s true that red wine inhibits iron absorption a little bit, at least compared to white wine. But again, it’s not significant enough to worry about:
Our findings indicate that the inhibitory effect of phenolic compounds in red wine is unlikely to affect iron balance significantly.
3. Coffee
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but coffee really can interfere with iron absorption. But only if you drink it along with or after a meal:
No decrease in iron absorption occurred when coffee was consumed 1 h before a meal, but the same degree of inhibition as with simultaneous ingestion was seen when coffee was taken 1 h later.
So drink coffee in between meals, being sure to leave at least an hour on either side of your meal.
4. Black and green teas
It turns out both herbal and black and green teas can interfere with iron absorption when you’re getting it from plant sources, but they don’t block it from meat.
Our findings demonstrate that herb teas, as well as black tea, coffee and cocoa can be potent inhibitors of Fe absorption. This property should be considered when giving dietary advice in relation to Fe nutrition.
But again, the trick is to drink tea in between meal:
Recommendations with respect to tea consumption (when in a critical group) include: consume tea between meals instead of during the meal; simultaneously consume ascorbic acid and/or meat, fish and poultry.
5. Soy proteins
Soy protein isolate definitely blocks iron absorption:
The soy products tested in this study have a pronounced inhibitory effect on the absorption of nonheme iron.
Soybeans in general also inhibit it:
We conclude that there are two major inhibitors of iron absorption in soybean-protein isolates, phytic acid and a protein-related moiety contained in the conglycinin (7S) fraction.
It’s not clear if other forms of soy also block iron. One study seemed to find that some forms of it may actually help with iron absorption, but they were unable to reach any conclusions because some of the data didn’t make any sense.
Hotstuff says
Red wine contains *Resveratrol* (not “reservatol”!). Much like B12, it’s also not absorbed very well in the stomach but IS absorbed approximately 100x better sublingually. As such, resveratrol most likely doesn’t inhibit iron absorption, but could actually inhibit or reduce the amount of dietary B12 being absorbed sublingually through competition or binding at those sites of absorption. Iron can also be bound by the tannins found in both teas and red wines, but aren’t typically significant in whites. Just sayin….
Breeanna says
This was helpful. I never really understood my anemia but in the last year it’s become really bad swear it’s hard for me to get up and do anything because I’m so fatigued and tired even when I take iron pills period after reading this I understand because almost all the foods listed on here I eat or drink. Hopefully once I cut them out I will start to feel a little bit better.
SnappyLiving says
I hope it helps you, Breeanna.
martha says
today my doctor told me anemic they gave me iron pills I’m a bit nervous about it does anyone know what could be the cause and if its something serious ?
SnappyLiving says
You should ask a medical professional – you can probably call a nurse at your doctor’s office and they’ll tell you more – but I’ve been told it’s pretty common, especially for women who haven’t had menopause yet, and nothing to be worried about.
Surfdancer says
Thank you for your article. However all leafy greens contain some oxalic acid. If you cook the greens, it renders the oxalic acid harmless, so doesn’t bind to iron. Also, even raw, can still build up anemia stores. Many different kinds of anemia.
Since we’re including anecdotal data, I resolved my anemia a couple of years ago. The only thing I changed was adding lots of handfuls of organic raw spinach in morning smoothies and Oila- my hemoglobin jumped up from an 8 (walking dead) to a 12 within 3 months from one lab to the next.
All bodies are different, so we can’t categorically say that adding spinach (or other greens) can’t be a good source of dietary iron. Having said that, heme iron (from meat), is usually a better source. I just don’t enjoy eating meat, but I do enjoy seafood, which is also high in iron. .
Surfdancer says
* build up iron stores, not ‘anemia’ stores :)
thato says
I love spinach and I am anemic,I was not aware
thanks very much for the information
Lewa says
I am anemic and appreciate this information.
Thank you
Cocoa says
I’m anemic and I need all the information on building up my blood count thank you
R. lawal says
please I need this information too. How do I easily build back my ion level
SnappyLiving says
That’s something you should see a doctor for.
JS says
I am having anemic as well and with severe low Hemoglobin, I have pale skin color and Yes, I do feel very cold in office most of the time. Thanks for sharing this information, it is very useful especially when people recommend to take spinach and only now I know it is not good for those with iron deficiency condition.
Wendy Minshall says
Ive just found out that im anemic so any help im thankful for.
Anonymous says
Can I eat spicy and hot foods if I have anemia or have a history of it?
SnappyLiving says
As far as I know! I love spicy food and eat it all the time. I’ve never heard of peppers or other spices interfering with iron levels.
Anonymous says
But can’t it make your heart rate faster and isn’t that not good?
SnappyLiving says
Not to my knowledge. It’s never had that effect on me. And heart rate doesn’t really have anything to do with anemia.
Samantha says
I was diagnosed last year with anemia in the ER room after fainting. I have had the fainting spells since I was thirteen. My feet were always ice cold. The year before I was diagnosed with anemia my primary doctor thought I had shortness of breath. But ever since I was diagnosed I also have allergies too, but I get headaches, lightheadedness, a feeling of no energy at all. I really do appreciate this information as well. I believe they said that I had iron deficincy anemia but I am not positive as I was still feeling lightheaded and not myself. Thank you for the information. I have friends that also have anemia but they say that it never really goes away.
Jenny Palin says
My iron levels have been low for a very long time now, I do have coffee a lot and milk so this helps thank you
Monique says
I have recently been diagnosed with hemachromatosis so this information was helpful on foods to eat/drink to prohibit absorption of iron.