Two kinds of iron in food
Iron from meat, poultry and fish (called heme iron) is easier for your body to absorb. Iron from plants, like beans, grains and leafy greens (non-heme iron), is harder to absorb.
MedlinePlus lists lean red meat, poultry, salmon, tuna and eggs among the best animal sources. Plant sources include kidney and lima beans, dried fruit like raisins and apricots, spinach, kale, broccoli, oats and brown rice.
Where vitamin C comes in
Eating foods with vitamin C at the same meal raises how much plant iron your body takes in. Citrus, strawberries, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes and potatoes all have vitamin C.
MedlinePlus adds that mixing a little lean meat, fish or poultry with beans or leafy greens at a meal can raise the plant iron you absorb up to three times.
Other mealtime tips
- Cooking in a cast-iron pan can add some iron to your food
- Black tea makes iron harder to absorb, so drink it between meals rather than with them
- Calcium might get in the way of iron, so the NIH suggests taking calcium and iron supplements at different times of day
- Ask your doctor before starting an iron supplement
What about a vitamin C drip?
None of DrpIV+'s drips or add-ins contain iron. The vitamin C pairing above is about meals: vitamin C and iron eaten together. A drip goes into a vein, not through your stomach.
If you think your iron is low, your own doctor can check your level and tell you what to do about it. If you are pregnant, ask your doctor how much iron you need.
Too much iron is a problem too
Some people store too much iron, a condition called hemochromatosis. The NIH says high doses of vitamin C could make that iron overload worse, so if you have it, talk to your doctor before any vitamin C supplement or drip.
