Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes

by Nathan H. Lents

Another dietary component that interferes with iron absorption is calcium, which can reduce iron absorption by up to 60 percent. Thus, foods rich in calcium, such as dairy, leafy greens, and beans, should be consumed separately from foods rich in iron in order to maximize absorption, especially if the source of the precious iron in question is plant-based. If you go to the trouble of eating iron-rich foods but pair them with calcium-rich foods, you’ve negated your efforts. It’s not enough to eat the right foods to meet our exacting dietary needs; we must eat those foods in the correct combinations.

Another dietary component that interferes with iron absorption is calcium, which can reduce iron absorption by up to 60 percent. Thus, foods rich in calcium, such as dairy, leafy greens, and beans, should be consumed separately from foods rich in iron in order to maximize absorption, especially if the source of the precious iron in question is plant-based. If you go to the trouble of eating iron-rich foods but pair them with calcium-rich foods, you’ve negated your efforts. It’s not enough to eat the right foods to meet our exacting dietary needs; we must eat those foods in the correct combinations.