Nutrition
Tea Tannin Iron Absorption
Tea tannin iron absorption means tannins at meals can block non-heme iron—space tea an hour or two from iron-rich plates.
Tea tannin iron absorption describes how polyphenols in black and green tea bind non-heme iron at meals—reducing uptake when you sip with steak, lentils, or fortified cereal. A practical fix is drinking tea one to two hours after iron-rich plates or pairing plant iron with vitamin C instead.
Habit matters for vegetarians and menstruating athletes.
Common questions
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Does adding lemon to tea fix iron blocking?
Vitamin C at the meal helps plant iron more than lemon in tea alone. Best practice is still separating strong tea from iron-heavy bites when labs are low.
Related terms
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