Does eating meat help your body have more iron?
Is Higher Consumption of Animal Flesh Foods Associated with Better Iron Status among Adults in Developed Countries? A Systematic Review
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Vegetarians often consume more dietary iron than meat-eaters but still have lower iron stores.
Most people assume eating more iron-rich foods automatically improves iron levels, but this shows absorption efficiency is far more important.
Practical Takeaways
If you're a woman with heavy periods or feel constantly tired, adding 85–100g of red meat a few times a week may help boost iron naturally.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Vegetarians often consume more dietary iron than meat-eaters but still have lower iron stores.
Most people assume eating more iron-rich foods automatically improves iron levels, but this shows absorption efficiency is far more important.
Practical Takeaways
If you're a woman with heavy periods or feel constantly tired, adding 85–100g of red meat a few times a week may help boost iron naturally.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2016
Authors
J. Jackson, Rebecca L. Williams, M. McEvoy, L. MacDonald-Wicks, Amanda J. Patterson
Related Content
Claims (6)
Eating meat, especially beef, gives your body all the nutrients it needs to survive and thrive — and your body can actually use them well.
If you're a premenopausal woman, especially an endurance athlete, eating more meat might help keep your iron levels up and reduce your chances of being low on iron.
Eating red meat every day might help your body store more iron than eating chicken or fish — one study says people who eat red meat daily have nearly a third more stored iron in their blood.
Eating more red meat—like beef or lamb—might help women of childbearing age in rich countries keep healthier iron levels, especially if they eat between a small steak and a large one every day.
Even if vegetarians eat more iron than meat-eaters, they might still be more likely to be low on iron because the kind of iron in plants isn't as easily absorbed by the body.