Iron Inhibition and Absorption in Food
Combine your food wrongly and risk getting nothing out of it. Food and science are like 5 & 6.They're inseparable. From the farming to harvesting to processing and preservation, to preparation and finally consumption. It's all science!
It's one thing to consume a wonderfully prepared meal, it is another for the food to be digested by the digestive system and more importantly, it is another for the digested products to be absorbed by the bloodstream for supply to the rest of the body.
The combination of foods we consume per time has a lot to do with the rate and quantity of its absorption by the bloodstream.
Let's use the mineral Iron as a case study.
Iron is an important mineral in the body useful for growth and development. It's chemical symbol is Fe. Iron is needed for blood production. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron deficiency in the body leads to anaemia.
Sea foods, liver and other organ meats, red meats, legumes, nuts and seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, etc are common sources of iron. Typically, the amount of iron absorbed from iron rich foods is relatively low due to a number of inhibitors to iron absorption. Some of them include:
- phytates (dominant in cereals and grains),
- calcium (dominant in milk and other dairy products),
- polyphenols (dominant in tea and coffee),
- tannins (dominant in grapes, corn, sorghum).
How then can we ensure that we get the most from the iron in our food?
The best most effective way to improve absorption of iron in food by the bloodstream is by pairing them with vitamin C and pro-vitamin A rich foods, mostly fruits and vegetables. Tea and coffee should be taken 1 hour before or after meals.
About the Author
Chidinma Ezinne Ochulor is a certified Food Technologist, a quality assurance professional with over 3 years' experience. She is a professional member of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST). Reach her on LinkedIn, here.
