Table 5.

Nutritional strategy to avoid dietary iron deficiency

Increase the dietary iron intake

Promote the consumption of foods rich in iron, especially heme, as present in meat, poultry, fish, and seafood

Optimize the absorption of dietary iron

a. Enhancers of iron absorption:

Ascorbic acid or vitamin C (present in fruits, juices, potatoes and some other tubers, and other vegetables such as green leaves, cauliflower, and cabbage)

Some cooked, fermented or germinated foods and condiments, such as sauerkraut and soy sauce (they reduce the amount of phytates)

b. Inhibitors of iron absorption:

Foods with high inositol content

Phytates, present in cereal bran, cereal grains, high-extraction flour, legumes, nuts, and seeds

Iron-binding phenolic compounds (tannins); foods containing the most potent inhibitors and that are resistant to the influence of enhancers include tea, coffee, herbal infusions, and certain spices (eg, oregano)

Calcium, particularly from milk and dairy products