22/02/2026
Plants contain non-heme iron, which is shaped in a way that is difficult for the human gut to "grab." Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) acts as a reducing agent; it chemically transforms the iron into a more soluble form that your intestinal lining can easily absorb. Without a source of Vitamin C, you only absorb about 5% of the iron in greens. With it, that number triples.
