What specific type of iron do tannins found in tea and coffee interfere with absorbing?
Answer
Non-heme iron
Tannins, categorized as polyphenolic compounds, are frequently found in beverages like tea and coffee. Their mechanism for reducing mineral uptake involves forming insoluble complexes specifically with iron in the digestive tract. This interference is most pronounced against non-heme iron, which is the form of iron predominantly found in plant-based foods. If an individual consumes a cup of black tea immediately concurrent with a meal rich in non-heme iron, the tannins present will substantially decrease the amount of usable iron the body extracts from that meal due to the formation of these unabsorbable complexes.
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