114 | Ask the Dietitian: Do You Need To Worry About Iron on a Plant-Based Diet?

Are you starting a plant-based diet but worry about getting enough iron? All your life, you’ve been on a meat-heavy diet and the idea of getting anemia has never crossed your mind. But now when you talk to someone about going plant-based, one of the first questions they tend to ask is, “Won’t you get low iron eating vegan?” Perhaps even your doctor has raised this concern.

 

So what’s the deal on iron? Do you need to worry about it on a plant-based diet…or not? In this episode, let’s answer this question. We’ll look at whether you need to be concerned about getting low iron levels when you move to a plant-based diet, and discuss good plant-based sources of iron you can include into your meals. I’ll meet you on the inside!

 

 

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[Plant Based Diet, Nutrition, Iron, Health, Whole Foods, Plantbased Eating, Anemia, Iron Deficiency, Key Nutrients, Plant-Based Nutrition, Supplements, Meats]

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Are you starting a plant-based dietbut worry about getting enough iron?
All your life you've been on ameat-heavy diet and the idea of getting
anemia has never crossed your mind.
But now, when you talk to someone aboutgoing plant-based, one of the first
questions they tend to ask is, "Won'tyou get low iron eating vegan?" Even

(00:23):
your doctor has raised this concern.
So what's the deal on iron?
Do you need to worry about iton a plant-based diet or not?
In this episode, let'sanswer this question.
We'll look at whether you need to beconcerned about getting low iron levels
when you move to a plant-based diet,and discuss good plant-based sources of

(00:44):
iron you can include into your meals.
Ready?
I'll see you on the inside!
Welcome to the Plant BasedEating Made Easy Podcast.
I'm your host, Anna Tseng, plant-basedRegistered Dietitian and Transition Coach.
Hi Friend, do you want to regain yourhealth with plant-based eating but feel

(01:05):
overwhelmed and lost about how to do it?
Do you feel it'll be hard to changeyour meat-heavy diet and impossible
with working, running the home,or chasing after the grandkids?
If so, you're in the right place.
Here you'll find simple strategies,clear nutrition guidance and
practical tips to help you thriveplant-powered with more energy.

(01:27):
So, if you're ready to ditchthe guesswork and transform
your health the stress-free way.
Cozy up now with a hot cup of tea orlisten while you walk and let me show
you how doable plant-based eating can be.
Let's do this!
Hi Friend, would you like a personalnutrition guide to support you

(01:49):
in your plant-based diet journey?
Someone who can not only support youin moving smoothly into eating an
enjoyable plant-based diet, but onewho can also work with you to optimize
your nutrition in this new lifestyle.
There are definitely many layers toplant-based diet nutrition, so it can
be confusing and overwhelming if youdon't know how to navigate through it,

(02:12):
and without knowing what informationis credible to trust from the Internet.
As a plant-based dietitian with over twodecades of dietetics experience, I want
to help support you in your transitionwith clear nutrition guidance, simple
recipes, and smart strategies, to makean easy plant-based diet transition.

(02:33):
Send me an email [e-mail] if you'd
like to explore working together.
I'll show you that plant-basedeating can be simple and doable
even with your current healthchallenges and how to eat for optimal
nutrition on a plant-based diet.
Let's connect and get youmoving and feeling your best.

(02:54):
Now let's dive into today's topic.
Iron seems to be a nutrient topof mind for many people nowadays.
If you're feeling tired or wornout, invariably someone will
ask about your iron levels andsuggest you get them checked out.
Doctors often point out the needto maintain adequate iron levels,

(03:15):
especially in growing children.
And all for good reason, becauseiron is an important mineral our
bodies need to function well.
So if you're considering a plant-baseddiet lifestyle, it's natural to bring
up this question, Do I need to worryabout my iron levels if I go plant-based?
You may even know someone in your socialcircle who became vegan or vegetarian,

(03:40):
but later got diagnosed with low ironlevels or iron deficiency anemia.
It's completely logical then towonder if the same thing will
happen to you if you make this biglifestyle shift to just eating plants.
Over the years, I've seendifferent members in my community
share their worries about iron.

(04:00):
For example, I remember onelady writing that her greatest
challenge moving to plant-basedeating was getting enough iron.
Another wrote that she struggledwith keeping her iron up.
I hope this episode will dispelsome of those worries and myths
surrounding iron on a plant-based diet.
We'll look at a few key factors which canimpact iron status in the body, including

(04:24):
situations where you will need to be moremindful of iron levels within your body.
I want to help you gain clarity on thissubject so you can make your plant-based
diet transition with confidence.
So let's dive into this now.
To begin with, there are three core thingsevery person must understand about iron.

(04:46):
The first is this.
Know that low iron levels and irondeficiency anemia can happen to anyone,
even to someone on a regular diet.
It's a micronutrient that everyoneneeds to be mindful of, regardless
of their current eating pattern.
In the United States alone, about 10million people are estimated to be

(05:08):
iron deficient, including 5 millionwho have iron deficiency anemia.
Only half of 1 percent of the U.S. population, or approximately
1.62 million, is vegan.
It's obvious, then, that a good proportionof those on a regular meat-based
diet also have issues with low ironlevels and iron deficiency anemia.

(05:31):
In fact, the World Health Organization,or WHO, has recognized iron
deficiency anemia as the most commonnutritional deficiency in the world,
with 30 percent of the populationbeing affected with this condition.
So regardless of the diet you'reon, it's wise to be conscious of
your intake and the possibilityof getting iron deficiency anemia.

(05:56):
Speaking of this, I am reminded ofa friend and neighbor of mine who
is the mother of three children.
She was on a regular meat-based diet butstarted feeling tired and out of sorts.
She then went to the doctor andfound out, to her surprise, that
she had iron deficiency anemia.
As a result, she had to begin ironsupplementation and to include more

(06:18):
iron-rich foods into her meals.
So clearly, iron issues can happento anyone, not just to those
on a vegan or plant-based diet.
Second, know that there arecertain vulnerable periods in
the lifespan where adequate ironlevels are especially important.
Iron is a critical mineral the bodyneeds, and there are certain time

(06:42):
points in the human lifespan whereestimated daily iron needs are higher.
These include periods of rapid growthsuch as in the older infancy years
and during young childhood, in theadolescent phase, and during pregnancy.
During these vulnerable periods,regardless of what eating pattern
a person is on, that person's ironbiomarker levels should be checked

(07:06):
regularly to rule out deficiencies.
Then, if needed, temporary ironsupplementation can be started while
maximizing good plant-based iron richfood sources and applying smart iron
absorption boosting dietary strategies.
Third, know that many factors canaffect a person's iron status.

(07:27):
Iron is an essential element, andiron levels are controlled mainly by
dietary intake, intestinal absorption,and iron recycling within the body.
So there can be many causes of low ironlevels and iron deficiency anemia, besides
resulting from low dietary iron intake orperiods of increased iron requirements.

(07:50):
For instance, iron deficiency anemia canalso be brought on due to gastrointestinal
tract issues from surgeries, from useof certain medications, or from gut
conditions that impair iron absorption.
Other potential causes of iron deficiencyanemia are from gastrointestinal
bleeding, menstrual bleeding, or injury.

(08:12):
So now knowing these core piecesof information, let's come back
to our key episode question.
Do you need to worry aboutiron on a plant-based diet?
And you may have realized by nowthat my answer is, it depends.
But here's the firstpiece of reassuring news.
Plant-based eaters generally appearto have good iron intake levels.

(08:36):
For example, in a recent 2022 SystematicReview, data from 38 studies that reported
on iron intake was analyzed, out ofwhich 30 assessed intake from foods only.
Across these studies, researchers foundthat average iron intake tended to be
higher in vegans compared to vegetariansand meat eaters, regardless of whether

(08:59):
intake from supplements was assessed.
In fact, the average iron intakein vegans was about 1.5 times
higher than that of meat eaters.
So, it seems that eating a vegan orplant-based diet does not automatically
mean your iron intake would beseverely impaired compared to eating

(09:19):
a meat-based diet, which is good news.
But of course, the food choicesa person makes regularly on a
vegan or plant-based diet willaffect daily iron intake amounts.
I have shown you, though, thatthere are many factors that can
impact a person's iron status.
So this question is best answered ona case-by-case basis, looking at each

(09:43):
individual's unique circumstances.
These factors can include gender, age andstage of life, how heavy one's menses are,
what foods are actually eaten regularly,existing health conditions, surgery
history, and his or her gut health.
So the degree you should worry about iron,whether on a regular diet or a plant-based

(10:07):
one, would depend a lot on these factors.
The second reassuring pointI want to make is this.
There are many good sources of iron thatcan be found in the plant-based world.
These include legumes such as beans,split peas, and lentils, leafy greens
like turnip greens and collards, nuts,seeds, iron-enriched bread products,

(10:29):
iron-fortified infant cereals andiron-fortified breakfast cereals.
It's worth noting, though, thatthe iron found in plant-based
foods is in the non-heme iron form.
And there are quite a few foodconstituents that are inhibitors
of non heme iron absorption.
But there are also enhancers of ironabsorption that can improve iron uptake.

(10:54):
So if smart iron absorption boostingstrategies are used alongside regular
intake of iron rich plant-based foodsources, then any possible risk of
getting iron deficiency anemia on aplant-based diet would be much decreased.
One example of this would be pairingiron rich plant-based foods with a good
vitamin C source, which is a strategy Igo into in much more detail in my online

(11:19):
Plant-Powered Life Transformation Course.
So in summary, iron is a nutrient thatwe all need to be mindful of, regardless
of the eating pattern we are on.
If you are plant-based eating, and ina vulnerable lifespan period, with risk
factors that put you at a higher riskof getting iron deficiency, then it

(11:40):
would be wise to optimize your intakein terms of iron rich foods, use iron
absorption boosting strategies, andget iron levels checked at least once
a year to monitor your iron status.
But in general, know that a person ona plant-based diet does not need to
be super overly worried about theiriron levels, at least not overtly

(12:01):
more than that of a meat-eater.
We all need to be mindful of ourdaily iron intake and aim to meet
the Recommended Dietary Allowance,or RDA, for our age and gender.
Now, here's an action step you can take.
Use these four guiding questions to helpyou assess how mindful you need to be
about your iron intake and blood ironlevels while eating a plant-based diet.

(12:26):
First, ask yourself, whatfoods am I eating regularly?
Am I including good iron richplant-based food sources?
Question 2, what lifestage am I currently in?
Question 3.
Do I have health conditions thatwould impair iron absorption or
situations of increased blood loss?

(12:47):
And Question 4.
Am I using smart iron absorptionboosting strategies to help my body
better absorb the iron I'm taking in?
I hope you found today's episode helpful.
Keep in mind that the foods you chooseto eat in your vegan or plant-based
diet, along with smart iron absorptionboosting strategies, can impact your

(13:08):
iron status and blood iron biomarkers.
And based on what you've learnedtoday, you may have realized just
how many factors can influenceiron absorption and loss, and a
person's final blood iron levels.
And it's not just iron.
What you eat on a plant-based diet isultra important if your ultimate goal

(13:29):
is good health and nutritional adequacy.
And to achieve that, your diet transitionand plant-based diet does need to
be well planned and thought out.
So, Friend, if you would like supportin your diet transition to help you
eat the best plant-based diet possiblewith optimal iron levels and the best
overall nutrition, reach out to me.

(13:52):
Send me an email [e-mail] or
use the links in the show notes.
I would love to help you plan outyour diet transition so you can truly
thrive eating plant-powered for life.
I look forward toconnecting with you soon.
Thank you for listening to the PlantBased Eating Made Easy Podcast.

(14:14):
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Remember that moving to plant-basedeating can be simple and doable,

(14:34):
even with your existing healthchallenges and busy lifestyle.
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Until next time, keep plant-focusedand thriving, my Friend!