Heme iron and Non-heme iron
Heme iron is found only in meat, poultry, seafood, and fish, so heme iron is the type of iron that comes from animal proteins in our diet.
Non-heme iron, by contrast, is found in plant-based foods like grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. But don’t make the mistake of assuming it's only in plants. Non-heme iron is also found in animal products such as eggs or milk/dairy, and it also comprises more than half the iron contained in animal meat.
Sources of heme iron
Heme iron is found predominantly in blood and muscle, whereas non-heme iron is primarily found in plants, such as whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, and leafy greens. We used to think of heme iron as coming exclusively from animal products and non-heme iron as found only in plants, but that isn’t the case. The plant-based Impossible Burger contains heme iron derived from soybean plants, for example, and non-heme iron can be found in meat if the animal had consumed plant foods with non-heme iron.
Another way to think about Heme vs. Non-Heme is by categories of foods:
Animal meat is a combination of heme and non-heme.
Dairy and eggs are non-heme.
Plant foods are non-heme only.
Functions of iron in the body
There are some reasons why iron deficiency occurs. The first reason is that there are not that many foods containing high concentrations of iron; the second reason is that only very tiny amount of iron can be absorbed in the small intestine, and most of the iron intake is discharged in the stool. Additionally, the changes in diet and lifestyle are also responsible.
Iron and oxygen
Since generally iron can be easily associated with "oxygen," it plays an important role in carrying oxygen throughout the body. Such iron is called functional iron. Our body comprises approximately 60 trillion cells, and iron supplies oxygen to all of the cells, helping produce energy in cells. Yes, iron helps us live a healthy life.
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