Iron is not absorbed alone
The amount of iron in food and the amount absorbed are different. Iron form, the rest of the meal and the body’s iron status all influence absorption.
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Plant foods provide non-haem iron
Lentils and other plant foods contain non-haem iron. The amount present is not automatically the amount the body absorbs.
Vitamin C can help
Vitamin C improves absorption of non-haem iron. That is why the foods eaten together matter when discussing plant sources of iron.
A meal is only part of the picture
Phytate can reduce non-haem iron absorption in a meal. EFSA cautions that single-meal studies can overstate how much one enhancer or inhibitor changes long-term iron status.
References
Source-checked educational draft. Human editorial review pending.
European Food Safety AuthorityScientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for ironSource accessed 2026-09-05NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsIron: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsSource accessed 2026-09-05