Vegans Can Adapt To Go Bigger on Iron

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Research shows that eating only plants may give you an iron absorbing advantage

It’s widely believed that those who abstain from eating animal-based foods are at a greater risk of iron deficiency owing to the form of iron – non-heme – in plant-based foods being less bioavailable than the heme iron you get in foods like beef and chicken. But an intriguing new study from scientists in Spain suggests that when eating only plants, we may adapt to absorb more of the iron in these foods, thereby lowering the risk of poor iron status. Twenty-seven participants (18-30 years old) were split into vegan and omnivore groups and then feed 150 grams of pistachios, a source of non-heme iron, after which blood iron levels were measured. As reported in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, levels of iron in the blood following pistachio consumption were higher in the vegans than the omnivores, suggesting a physical adaptation to eating only plants that allows increased iron uptake from these foods. The investigators believe that lower levels of hepcidin, a hormone that regulates how your body uses iron, in vegans may play a role in this outcome. Perhaps this is one reason why there has yet to be clear proof that vegans who follow a well-balanced mixed diet containing a variety of sources of iron are at a greater risk for iron deficiency than meat eaters.