A patient with iron-deficiency anemia should increase intake of which foods?

• A. Dairy products only
• B. Iron-rich foods with vitamin C to enhance absorption
• C. Sugary snacks
• D. Whole grains with calcium

Answer: (B)

Maximizing iron absorption is the focus here. Vitamin C boosts the body’s uptake of iron, especially nonheme iron from plant sources, by reducing ferric iron to the more absorbable ferrous form and by helping it stay soluble in the gut. So eating iron-rich foods together with vitamin C–rich foods makes the iron more available for red blood cell production, which is exactly what someone with iron-deficiency anemia needs.

Dairy or calcium-rich foods can actually hinder iron absorption, and sugary snacks provide little iron and no absorption boost. Whole grains with calcium similarly don’t enhance uptake. So the approach that pairs iron-containing foods with vitamin C-rich foods—like citrus fruits, tomatoes, or peppers—is the most effective way to improve iron absorption.