How Tea, Tannins, and Tradition Impact Iron Absorption

We often celebrate greens, roots, and seeds in plant-based diets for their iron content—but what if some of our habits are quietly working against us? While dandelion, nettle, and pumpkin seeds are full of non-heme iron, substances like tea and wine can block that absorption in the gut.

This is especially important for Black and Brown folks, who may already be prone to iron deficiency due to menstruation, stress, and systemic access gaps. Our ancestral traditions knew how to work with these herbs—but modern diets and rituals need refining.

 What Is Non-Heme Iron?

Non-heme iron is the form found in plants. Unlike heme iron from meat, it’s absorbed less efficiently and is more sensitive to enhancers and blockers in your diet.

Sources include:

• Dandelion, nettle, spinach
• Pumpkin seeds, lentils, blackstrap molasses
• Whole grains and chickpeas

 What Helps or Hurts Absorption?

✅Boosts:

• Vitamin C (hibiscus, citrus, peppers)
• Light cooking or steeping of greens
• Soaking/sprouting nuts and seeds

❌ Blocks:

• Tannins (black/green tea, wine, chocolate)
• Calcium (milk, cheese, supplements)
• Phytates (raw grains/seeds unless soaked)

 Tannin Talk: How Tea Blocks Iron

Tannins in green and black tea bind to non-heme iron and prevent it from being absorbed in the intestines. This can cancel out the iron you’re trying to absorb from herbs like nettle or food like pumpkin seeds.

Instead: Drink hibiscus, lemon balm, or peppermint tea.
Wait 1–2 hours before drinking green/black tea near iron-rich meals.

Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals

Let’s move from theory to practice. Here are real-world ways to build your blood and honor your iron flow.

Blood-Building Brew: Nettle + Hibiscus Tea

• 1 tbsp dried nettle
• 1 tbsp dried hibiscus
• 1 tsp burdock root
• Optional: blackstrap molasses
• Steep 20 minutes. Strain and sip. Drink warm or iced. Avoid pairing with dairy or green tea.

 Soaked Seed Snack

– ½ cup pumpkin seeds (soaked + toasted)

– ¼ cup sunflower seeds

– ¼ cup dried apricots

– Orange zest, cinnamon, sea salt

This mineral-rich snack is full of iron and Vitamin C when prepped properly.

Molasses Elixir

• 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• Warm water
• Sip in the morning to start your day with iron and Vitamin C.

 Final Reflection

Blood is sacred. It carries memory, resilience, and healing elements. When we learn how to support our iron with plant wisdom and ancestral prep methods, we create rituals that nourish generations.

With love,

Stay rooted in your ritual and keep your river of life strong and clean.