Limit the amount
When eating a high- iron meal, limit the amount of vegetables eaten to about one serving. Drink a functional drink or supplement containing vitamin C in your meals to avoid the counterproductive effects of natural foods. Eat fiber-rich vegetables every day to avoid vegetable deficiency.
Avoid drinks high in phytic acid
Avoid drinking drinks with high phytic acid content such as coffee, tea... during meals, we should drink between meals.
Coffee, herbal tea (such as chamomile, lavender, ...) contains polyphenols and tannins. Drinking a cup of tea right after a meal will cause tannin to combine with iron to form an insoluble iron- tannin complex, reducing the absorption rate.
In addition, drinking plenty of boiled water right after a meal can hinder iron absorption. The reason is that boiling water thins stomach acid, making it harder for iron to dissolve.
Calcium-rich foods
High calcium levels can reduce iron absorption. Avoid sharing foods rich in iron and calcium, and avoid sharing iron supplements with calcium tablets. The main cause is due to reduced soluble iron in stomach acid.
While moderate calcium intake (such as half a glass of milk or a moderate amount of cheese or yogurt in the diet) can improve iron absorption, large amounts can have the opposite effect.
