Food Iron Absorption: A Comparison of Vegetable and Animal Foods

Iron absorption measurements have been made in 131 individuals relating the absorption of nine different foods tagged biosynthetically with radioiron. Relatively low absorption, ranging from 1.7-7.9, was found with wheat, corn, black beans, lettuce and spinach. Higher values of from 15.6-20.3 were observed with soybeans, fish, veal and hemoglobin. When these values were related to the absorption of ferrous ascorbate determined simultaneously in each subject, food iron absorption could be predicted over the spectrum of normal to iron deficient states.