A whiter shade of pale

In many, iron deficiency can be prevented through dietary modification. There are two forms of dietary iron - haeme and non-haeme. Haeme iron, derived from haemoglobin, is found in animal foods that originally contained haemoglobin, such as red meats, fish, and poultry. Non-haeme iron is in plant foods such as lentils and beans. The latter is the form of iron added to iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods. Haeme iron is absorbed better than non-haeme iron, but most dietary iron is non-haeme form.