Alexander Spatari/ Getty ImagesIron comes in two different forms: heme iron and nonheme iron. Animal products contain heme iron, which comes from hemoglobin — a protein responsible for transporting oxygen in blood. Roughly 25 to 30 percent of heme iron is absorbed by your body, according to a 2019 study . However, these foods contain nonheme iron — a type of iron that is not as readily absorbed by the body. Witthaya Prasongsin/ Getty ImagesWhite beans are a good source of nonheme iron: A 1-cup serving of canned white beans contains 8 mg of nonheme iron .

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