By the time they are around six months old, babies have used up all the iron that they stored whilst in the womb. After this, they become entirely dependent on their diet for iron. The amount of iron in foods is important, but so is the form of the iron and the other foods that are eaten in the same meal, as these affect how much can be absorbed by the gut. The best source of iron is red meat, as the iron is in a form that the body can easily absorb. Some plant foods, such as beans and lentils, also contain a lot of iron, but the body does not absorb it very well.
Some foods help the body to absorb iron from other foods eaten at the same meal.
Some baby foods, and all infant juices, have vitamin C added. Other substances combine with iron in the gut, making it much harder for the body to absorb it. The complicated way in which the body absorbs iron makes it important that infants receive a variety of foods. Solids should be fed at different times to breast feeding so that the body absorbs as much iron as possible. Information may be downloaded for educational and research purposes as long as the source is clearly credited.