As this increase in iron intake counteracts the decrease in iron absorption, most high-phytate foods have a negligible impact on your iron absorption.

Foods Containing Phytate Phytate , or phytic acid, is found in foods like whole grains, cereals, soy, nuts and legumes ( 3 ). The flip side of the coin are substances that inhibit the absorption of iron: • phytic acid (found in grains, legumes, and other plant foods) • egg protein (from both the white and the yolk) • minerals that compete with iron for absorption: calcium, zinc, magnesium, and copper • … Some foods rich in vitamin C are lemon, oranges, strawberries and dark, leafy greens. A lot of commonly available foods contain special compounds that lower iron levels in the blood such as dietary fiber, phytic acid, oxalates, tannins and other polyphenols, phosvitin, caffeine, … Knowing what foods inhibit iron can help keep the body functioning efficiently. Combining iron-rich food either with vitamin C-rich food or supplement will greatly help in absorption of iron. So, what decreases iron absorption in the presence of an inhibitor in the absorption of iron, perhaps because of health problems or other lifestyle habits. Iron absorption inhibitors. The foods which decrease iron absorption are some soy-based foods, calcium foods, beverages containing caffeine and tannin (do not take within 2 hours of taking iron). Iron deficiency anemia occurs when red blood cells do not contain an adequate amount of iron due to pregnancy, blood loss, a diet low in iron, or poor absorption of iron by the body. Calcium is found in foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, sardines, canned salmon, tofu, broccoli, almonds, figs, turnip greens and rhubarb and is the only known substance to inhibit absorption of both non-heme and heme iron.

Wilson's disease, hemochromatosis -- or focusing heavily on these foods at the expense of iron-rich foods, this is not ordinarily a concern. Iron absorption occurs predominantly in the duodenum and upper jejunum ( Muir and Hopfer, 1985) (Figure 1). Phytate-containing foods include whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. The iron from animal foods, known as heme iron, is unaffected, so problems are typically limited to those taking supplemental iron. Such iron-rich foods to avoid include oysters, red meat, beef liver and dark-meat poultry, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron inhibitors: Foods that reduce your iron absorption Iron is an interesting mineral because other foods can enhance or inhibit our iron absorption. Some foods rich in vitamin C are lemon, oranges, strawberries and dark, leafy greens. Link Copied. The Foods That Hurt Your Iron Levels. Despite this inhibitory effect, dietician Dr. Reed Mangels and colleagues note that phytate-containing foods are typically good sources of iron. For instance, one cup of coffee can inhibit iron absorption up to 60 percent, and some Swedish cocoas and certain types of tea can inhibit absorption up to 90 percent, according to the Iron Disorders Institute.

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If you are eating an iron-rich meal, do not consume any of these foods within two hours before and two hours after the meal. Actually, there are. Calcium (like iron) is an essential mineral, which means the body gets this nutrient from diet. Jessie Cacciola. If you do consume small amounts of these iron-rich foods, eat something with it that helps decrease iron absorption. Are there foods that reduce iron levels in the blood? Drinking tea could cause iron deficiency, if you drink a lot of tea with meals and don't consume adequate iron.Studies have shown that tea—notably black tea, but also green—decreases the absorption of iron, especially nonheme iron, the kind found in plant foods (heme iron comes from animal-derived foods).

Certain foods contain components that are known to block the absorption of nonheme iron, the most common form of iron supplements prescribed to increase your blood levels. Technically, yes, there are many foods that can decrease iron absorption.

Wheat bran, says Dr. Andrew Weil, contains an especially high concentration of phytates. Just as some foods can improve iron absorption, others can hinder it. So if we feel that the fulfillment of iron in food is sufficient, then there are other factors in the iron absorption decreases. Among the foods that block iron absorption, especially of nonheme iron, those containing compounds called phytates are major culprits. biskuit/flickr. Also too much copper or zinc can do the same, and vice versa. But aside from certain metabolic disorders -- i.e. It is not enough to look at the iron content of food on a label, we need to look at our whole meal to get a sense of how iron-rich the meal is.

For some people, avoiding drinking tea with food or straight after a meal may help improve iron absorption. The mechanism of iron transport from the gut into the blood stream remains a mystery despite intensive investigation and a few tantalizing hits (see below).