Iron Supplements for Vegans: Ensuring Healthy Iron Levels

What Is Iron?

Iron is a vital mineral and the most abundant metal in the human body. Dietary iron exists in two forms, namely heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found in animal sources and has a high bioavailability. However, non-heme iron makes up most of the iron in plants and has a much lower bioavailability. Bioavailability refers to how much iron can be absorbed by the body.

Our bodies are better able to absorb heme iron. However, plant-based iron is slightly less efficient at absorption. Therefore, the body absorbs more iron from animal iron than from vegan iron when the same amount of iron is consumed.

But once absorbed, they are identical. In all these, remember that you can still satisfy your body's iron requirements with a plant-based diet—you simply need to eat a range of plant based iron-rich foods and discover strategies to maximise absorption so your body can use the iron you're consuming.

How Much Iron Do Vegans Need?

Your body requires a particular amount of each vitamin in the meals you eat. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine determines this amount by calculating the average daily intake level that covers the nutrient needs of 97 to 98% of healthy people. This quantity is known as the recommended dietary allowance (RDA).

The recommended daily allowance for iron is as follows:

• Adult men aged 19 to 50 years: 8 mg.
• Adult women aged 19 to 50 years: 18 mg
• Pregnant individuals: 27 mg
• Lactating people aged 19-50 years: 9 mg.
• Women 51+ after menopause: 8 mg.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that vegetarians, including vegans, consume 1.8 times more iron than the recommended daily allowance (RDA or AI) for meat eaters. This extra iron helps to compensate for the fact that human bodies less easily absorb the iron in plant foods than the iron present in meat. So it's like a little extra insurance to ensure we get adequate iron, even if plant-based diets absorb less of it.

Can vegans take iron supplements?

Yes, vegans can take iron supplements. Consuming iron-rich vegetarian foods for anemia is an important component in treating anaemia caused by low iron levels.

However, you may need to take iron supplements to prevent iron insufficiency, iron-deficiency anemia or to restore your body's iron stores. As a result, taking a vegan iron supplement is a typical technique to treat iron deficiency anemia or to boost iron levels when dietary sources are inadequate.

Before starting any iron supplement, we recommend consulting your doctor to ensure it's necessary for you.

Since the need for a vegan iron supplement depends on your level of deficiency, it’s important to get your iron levels tested before taking one to avoid excessive intake.

How Can Vegans Increase Iron Absorption?

Below are some of the things you can do to improve non-heme iron absorption:

1. Combine your diets with vitamin-C-rich diets

Diets strong in vitamin C are better absorbed by the body when combined with iron-rich diets. Some vegan iron supplements also include vitamin C in their formulations to improve absorption.

Oranges, kiwi, sweet red peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, collard greens, a variety of beans, kale, and broccoli are high in vitamin C and can help your body absorb iron more effectively.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, says, Legumes, such as chickpeas and kidney beans, along with iron-rich leafy greens, are wonderful plant-based iron sources. The key is also balancing meals for better absorption.

2. Distribute your iron-rich foods throughout the day

When we consume large amounts of iron at once, our bodies absorb less iron than when we consume merely a few milligrams at a time. Vegan sources of iron may contain less iron than their animal counterparts, but consuming smaller amounts throughout the day can help boost absorption.

3. Don't combine tannins with iron-rich foods

Tannins are naturally occurring substances found in tea, coffee, red wine, and various fruits such as strawberries and grapes. They can prevent iron absorption by binding to iron molecules in the digestive tract and producing insoluble complexes that the body cannot absorb.

4. Cook with iron cookware

Cooking with iron cookware, such as an old cast iron skillet, can boost the iron content of your diet, especially when cooking vitamin C-rich foods.

5. Avoid combining calcium with iron-rich foods

Both calcium and iron fight for absorption in the gut. When food sources of calcium, like soy milk, tofu, and calcium supplements, are taken in large quantities, they can impair the body's ability to absorb iron.

6. Avoid Excessive Fibre Intake

High calcium and dietary fibre intake can impair iron absorption. Avoid consuming excessive amounts of these minerals, particularly during iron-rich meals.

7. Use a vegan iron supplement

Iron supplements can benefit people who need more iron, such as pregnant women. Ferrous iron salts like ferrous sulfate and ferrous gluconate are the best iron supplements for vegans and are often prescribed since they are affordable and easily absorbed.

Uncover more insights with this exciting video demonstration.

How to get enough iron on a plant-based diet

You can start by ensuring that you consume iron-rich vegetarian foods. Some of the most effective vegan sources of iron include:

• Legumes: lentils, soybeans, tofu, tempeh, lima beans, black eye peas
• Grains: quinoa, fortified cereals, brown rice, oatmeal, grits
• Nuts and seeds: pumpkin, squash, pine, pistachio, sunflower, cashews, unhulled
• sesame
• Vegetables: tomato sauce, Swiss chard, collard, mustard or turnip greens,
• Other: blackstrap molasses, prune juice

However, paying attention to how much iron you're absorbing is just as crucial as ensuring you're eating enough.