Ways to Improve Your Child’s Iron Intake

Iron is essential at every stage of development, especially for children, as it plays a crucial role in their growth. Since the body regulates iron levels through absorption and transport, getting the right amount through diet is important.¹

Heme vs. Non-Heme Iron: What Moms Need to Know

Iron in food comes in two types: heme and non-heme. ^1,2

✔ Heme iron – Found only in animal foods like meat, fish, and poultry. It is absorbed more easily by the body.

✔ Non-heme iron – Found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, grains, and also in meat. However, it is not absorbed as efficiently as heme iron.

Ensuring including enough iron-rich foods in the daily diet is key to preventing deficiency.

How the Body Absorbs Iron

You will be surprised to know that most of the iron in food (about 90%) is non-heme iron, found in plant-based foods. However, the body doesn’t absorb it easily, and its absorption depends on other foods eaten at the same time and the body’s iron levels.²

On the other hand, heme iron, found in animal foods like meat and fish, makes up only 10% of dietary iron but is absorbed much more easily and is less affected by other foods.²

It is important to know that an unavoidable effect of the poor absorption of dietary iron is that it mostly remains unabsorbed and so passes into the lower gut where it is possibly available to the gut microbiota.³  This leads to an increase in the bad bacteria or pathogens in the gut.

Prebiotics, when provided through fortified milk improves iron absorption in infants.³ Prebiotics are dietary fibre that help good bacteria grow and thrive in the gut, supporting digestion, better absorption of minerals and in overall health.^4,5

Balancing both types of iron in your child’s diet can help ensure they get enough for healthy growth!

Helping Your Child Get the Most Out of Iron

As a mother, you want to make sure your child gets enough iron for healthy growth and development. But did you know that some nutrients help iron absorption while others block it?

Let’s take a look at how you can make the most of iron in your child’s diet.

✔ Iron boosters: Vitamin C improves iron absorption, helping the body use it more efficiently. Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C can make a big difference.²

✖ Iron blockers: Calcium, phytates, and polyphenols can reduce iron absorption, so it’s important to be mindful of food combinations.²

Simple Tips to Help Your Baby Absorb More Iron from Food

• Vitamin C rich foods (amla, lemon, tomato,) are necessary for iron absorption.⁶
• Avoid giving iron and calcium together as calcium is known to inhibit iron absorption.²
• Use iron rich and/or iron fortified foods.⁶
• Green leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, and seasonal fruits such as papaya, mango, chikoo, and banana are important sources of vitamin s and iron.⁶

Also Read:

Vitamin B for Kids
Protein for Kids
Vitamin A for Kids
Gummy Vitamins for Kids
Vitamin C Dosage for Children
Best Vitamins and Minerals for Kids

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Sources References

1. Cerami C. Iron nutriture of the fetus, neonate, infant, and child. Ann Nutr Metab. 2017;71(3 Suppl 3):8–14. 

2. Piskin E, Cianciosi D, Gulec S, Tomas M, Capanoglu E. Iron absorption: Factors, limitations, and improvement methods. ACS Omega. 2022;7(24):20441-56. 

3. Husmann F, Zimmermann M, Herter-Aeberli I. The Effect of Prebiotics on Human Iron Absorption: A Review. Adv Nutr 2022;13: 2296–2304. 

4. Iddrisu I, Monteagudo-Mera A, Poveda C, Shahzad M, Walton GE, Andrews SC. A review of the effect of iron supplementation on the gut microbiota of children in developing countries and the impact of prebiotics. Nutr Res Rev. 2024;1-9. 

5. Hu Q, Liu Y, Fei Y, et al. Efficacy of probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotics supplements in individuals with anemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Gastroenterol. 2024;24:472. 

6. IAP. Mann ki baat. Available at : https://iapindia.org/pdf/Complimentary-Feeding.pdf. Accessed on: 19Mar25.