There are two main types of dietary iron that your body can absorb: heme and non-heme iron.
- Heme iron is found in animal-based foods like meat, poultry, and seafood. It's bound to hemoglobin and myoglobin, proteins that carry oxygen in the blood and muscles, respectively. Heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron, with an absorption rate of 15% to 35%. It contributes to 10% or more of our total absorbed iron.
- Non-heme iron is found in plant-based foods like beans, lentils, spinach, and fortified cereals. It's not bound to proteins and is less efficiently absorbed by the body.
While there are two main types of iron in the body, different iron tests can measure different aspects of iron metabolism. This includes serum iron, ferritin levels, and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC). These tests are useful for diagnosing iron deficiency anemia and other conditions related to iron levels.
