Sources of iron 1

Iron is naturally present in many foods and can also be found in iron-fortified foods and dietary supplements.

Dietary iron has two main forms: heme and non-heme iron. These two irons are absorbed differently within the body.

Non-heme iron is sourced from plant based foods. Non-heme iron can be taken by vegetarians, vegans and anyone with dietary restrictions. 

Heme iron is derived from hemoglobin and myoglobin from animal sources.

As a result, dietary habits and lifestyles play a vital role in determining the amount of iron intake in the body, the potential for iron deficiency and the need for iron supplementation.

 Over 6.4 Million Canadians have reduced or eliminated meat from their diet, which makes them more prone to iron and vitamin B12 deficiency.2

This is due to the lower bioavailability of iron in non-heme foods.3 However, absorption of non-heme iron can be enhanced with the addition of vitamin C, which can be found in Polyride Fe® Ultra.3

Non-Heme

plant-based iron supplement

Derived from plant-based foods:
Legumes, some vegetables, fruits, eggs and milk/dairy

Heme-iron

sources of iron in our supplements

Derived from hemaglobin and myoglobin of animal sources:
Present in meat, poultry, seafood and fish

References:

1. Ems T, St Lucia K, Huecker MR. Biochemistry, Iron Absorption. [Updated 2020 Apr 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448204/

2. Charlebois S, Somogyi S, Music J. Plant-based dieting and meat attachment: Protein wars and the changing Canadian consumer (Preliminary Results). Dalhousie University 2018.

3. Pawlak, R., Berger, J., & Hines, I. (2016). Iron Status of Vegetarian Adults: A Review of Literature. American journal of lifestyle medicine12(6), 486–498. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827616682933