The Vitamin & Mineral Combo That Should Always Be Paired Together

July 12, 2023

Sometimes nutrients have a synergistic effect, working better together than when consumed in isolation. Such is the case with iron and vitamin C. Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron, especially the type found in plant foods. 

Iron insufficiency is quite common1, which is concerning since this mineral plays an essential role in energy production, brain health, and immunity. So not only is it important to consume enough iron, but you also need to make sure your body is able to absorb and utilize it.  

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Dietary iron comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. Heme iron comes from animal food sources like meat, poultry, and fish. This is the most readily absorbable form of dietary iron2, and the body is able to pull about 15% to 35% of that iron into its system. But animal foods only contribute so much to our diet. And it’s estimated that 10% of all daily absorbed iron comes from heme sources. Only one-tenth of absorbed dietary iron comes from heme iron. 

Non-heme iron is derived from plant foods—like vegetables, legumes, and beans—and it has a much lower absorption rate of 2% to sometimes up to 20%3. This nutrient is finicky, and a lot of factors need to be in place to actually absorb the iron from those foods.  

Vitamin C—aka ascorbic acid—is one factor that can enhance non-heme iron absorption.  

It transforms iron molecules from plants into compounds that can be more easily absorbed by the intestinal wall. Fruits and vegetables are naturally high in vitamin C, and anytime you eat a vegetable-heavy meal (which should be often) make sure there is an additional source of vitamin C present to really help maximize absorption. 

Flavor-wise, these pairings naturally complement each other and you may already be taking advantage of their benefits without knowing it. 

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Since most of the iron in our diets comes from non-heme sources2, squeezing the most amount of iron out of foods you already eat could potentially mean the difference between having insufficient and sufficient iron stores in the body.  

Here are some of our favorite recipes that couple non-heme iron and vitamin C to help you truly maximize your iron intake: 

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But there’s an endless amount of ways you can couple foods to get both iron and vitamin C in at the same meal. Use these lists to mix and match what sounds good to you. 

Iron-rich plant foods

• Soybeans
• White beans
• Lentils
• Spinach 
• Asparagus
• Instant oatmeal (fortified)
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Chocolate 

• Red bell peppers
• Oranges
• Grapefruit
• Lemons
• Limes
• Tomatoes
• Kiwi
• Cruciferous vegetables (Brussels sprouts & broccoli)
• Acerola cherries
• Parsley   

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Many people may still not be getting the iron they need through the diet alone, and that’s where supplementation comes into play. To help fill that gap, mindbodygreen formulated ultimate multivitamin+ with an optimized iron dose of 9 milligrams of a premium amino acid chelated form of iron (ferrous bisglycinate chelate).* 

For comparison, ½ cup of boiled spinach provides about 3.2 milligrams of iron. 

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