Bio-availability<\/a> of micronutrients is a very important, yet often overlooked concept. Just because a plant contains a nutrient does not mean that we, as humans, have access to it. I’m a proud meat-eater and a strenuous protagonist of animal-based foods. My position is concordant with the evidence – that animal-based foods are incomparably nutritious and remarkably bioavailable.<\/span><\/p>\nIron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world, contributing to at least half the cases of anaemia worldwide. Iron is a mineral that is vital for making red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Consequently, iron-deficient individuals often complain of fatigue, lethargy, and breathlessness.<\/span><\/p>\nDietary iron is present in two forms, heme iron, and non-heme iron. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nMeat, poultry, and fish contain both heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron comprises approximately 40% of the iron in meat. The rest of the iron contained in meat is non-heme iron. Dairy products and eggs contain non-heme iron.<\/span><\/p>\nHeme iron is absorbed from the gut with greater efficiency than non-heme iron. Animal products, such as meat, fish, and poultry, are, therefore, the major dietary contributors of heme iron. Red meats (offal, beef) have a higher heme iron content than white meats and fish. Heme iron is much more easily absorbed by the body i.e. bioavailable, than non-heme iron. Plant foods such as legumes and cereals and iron-fortified foods contain only non-heme iron, which is harder to absorb.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n