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Base foodLow concern
Legumes
In plain words
The short version
Beans, lentils and soy: high in both iron and the phytates that keep the body from absorbing it.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
Legumes contain useful amounts of non-haem iron and zinc, and enough phytate to block much of it. Soaking and cooking reduce phytate substantially; fermenting reduces it further, which is part of why tempeh and miso differ from plain soy.
The detail
Pulses and soy in every form, including the protein isolates used in meat substitutes and plant milks.
The classic pairing — beans with tomatoes or peppers — is vitamin C rescuing the iron, and it is measurable.
Sources
- EFSA NDA Panel — Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for iron (EFSA Journal 2024;22:e8819) — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2024. phytate blocks non-haem iron absorption
- EFSA NDA Panel — Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for zinc (EFSA Journal 2014;12(10):3844) — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2014. phytate reduces zinc absorption
- Reduction of phytic acid and enhancement of bioavailable micronutrients in food grains (Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2015;52(2):676–684) — Springer / Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India), 2015. soaking and cooking (and fermentation) substantially reduce phytate in legumes
- EFSA NDA Panel — Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to vitamin C and increasing non haem iron absorption pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 (EFSA Journal 2014;12(1):3514) — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2014. vitamin C with the meal measurably increases non-haem iron absorption
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.