Calcium is the polite, but firm, neighbor who doesn’t want to share the driveway. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are great for your bones, but they can block iron absorption if they show up at the same meal. It’s a feud between two essential minerals, and your stomach is the battleground.
Don’t panic. You don’t have to ditch dairy. Just timing is everything. Have your cheese stick as a snack later in the day, not chomped down with your bean burrito. Your body is a scheduling nightmare, but it responds well to a little planning.
Iron in the Diet: Iron-Rich Foods, Excess and Deficiency Symptoms
I once tried to have a glass of milk with my lentil soup. Bad idea. I felt like a science experiment gone wrong. Now I save the yogurt for dessert, at least a few hours after my main iron-rich course. My body sends me a little energy-high as a thank you.
