Can you get enough iron without eating meat?
Besvaret 26. oktober 2026
Yes, most people can, but it takes more care, especially for women who menstruate. The iron review for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 finds that vegetarians have lower iron stores, partly because the body absorbs plant iron less well: probably 5-10 percent from a vegetarian diet, against the 15 percent the recommendation assumes. Still, a well-composed vegetarian diet with whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit can supply enough, it says.
A systematic review of 141 studies found lower iron stores in vegetarians and vegans. In the four studies measuring deficiency, it averaged 15 percent in vegans and 11 percent in vegetarians, against 7 percent in meat eaters. Its authors work for Unilever, which sells fortified and plant-based foods.
Vitamin C in a meal raises absorption, while polyphenols, as in tea and coffee, and calcium lower it. Denmark's national food institute advises menstruating women, vegetarians especially, to watch their iron status and consider a supplement.
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- Gennemgang af 173 systematiske oversigter, 2024Samler mange studier · Oversigtsartikel · 173 systematiske oversigterIron - a background article for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023
- Gennemgang af 141 studier fra Unilever, 2021Samler mange studier · Systematisk gennemgang · 141 individuelle undersøgelserNutrient Intake and Status in Adults Consuming Plant-Based Diets Compared to Meat-Eaters: A Systematic Review
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