🥩 Heme Iron (Animal)
Absorbed 15-35% — the body's preferred form. 2-3 servings/week is ideal for runners.
🌱 Non-Heme Iron (Plant)
Absorbed 2-20% — pair with Vitamin C (OJ, lemon, bell peppers) to boost absorption.
🩸 Runner Iron Targets at Altitude (7,100 ft)
Female runners: Ferritin >40 ng/mL. Male runners: Ferritin >50 ng/mL. Get tested before season. If supplementing, use every-other-day dosing (Peeling et al., 2023). Take with Vitamin C, not coffee.
Use this in practice
- Toggle between Heme and Non-Heme to show athletes both animal and plant iron sources.
- Click on any food to reveal the absorption tip — pair non-heme foods with Vitamin C.
- Share the Runner Iron Targets card so parents know ferritin goals at altitude.
iron-food search examples
Practical examples
Practical food examples for heme, non-heme, breakfast, lunch, and snack use cases so the finder stays food-first and coach-usable.
Fortified breakfast option
Useful when the easiest iron fix is earlier in the day, not another missed dinner conversation.
Spinach + beef iron meal
A practical dinner example that pairs heme iron with a real meal.
Lentils + rice budget option
A repeatable lower-cost non-heme example that still fits a real family dinner.