🧵#Iron
The most important factor in how much dietary iron you absorb is not whether it is heme or non-heme, plant🌱or animal🐮 - it is your current #iron #status.
If you are iron #deficient you may absorb 25% from plants, if you are iron #replete you may absorb less than 1%.
#IronStatus (is your body low in stores?) is the main factor determining how much iron you will absorb from your diet🌱🥩. The body doesn't want too much so high absorption ONLY occurs if your #storage is #low. The body is smart🩸🧠🫀🫁💡!
The body is very good at recycling #iron from dead red blood cells.
Only 5-10% of our iron needs come from our #diet🍽️
🥬🍠🍳🍔🍗🥜🍞🥩
#Phytate/phytic acid serves as the main form of storage for phosphorus in plant seeds. When seeds sprout, phytate is broken down & the phosphorus is released & used by the plant to grow. Phytates can #block #mineral #absorption so plant-sources of iron are not as bioavailable.
Getting rid of those #Phytates!
#Soaking. Cereals & legumes soaked in water overnight reduces phytate content.
#Sprouting / Germination of seeds, grains, and legumes causes phytate breakdown.
#Fermentation. Organic acids, formed during fermentation, promote phytate breakdown.
More info coming on the risks of too much iron, iron req'ts from diff orgs (WHO/FAO, EFSA, DRI) & what the solution is to get more iron in our diets - does where we live matter? Supplements? Fortified foods? What is sustainable?
A deeper dive: comparing iron in plants vs animals.
@threadreaderapp please unroll
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