All the following are foods rich in iron EXCEPT?

AIIMS Bhuvneshwar NO- 2018

Applied Nutrition & Dietetics

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Bhuvneshwar NO- 2018

Explanation

Milk is the correct option because it is a very poor source of iron, containing less than 0.1 mg per 100 mL.
The high concentration of calcium and casein in milk significantly inhibits the absorption of iron from the diet.
Unlike the other options, milk does not contribute meaningfully to daily iron intake and can even hinder overall iron absorption when consumed with meals.

Option A: Fish, especially fatty fish and certain types like crab and herring, is a good source of heme iron, which is highly bioavailable and easily absorbed by the body.
Option C: Spinach is a well-known plant source of iron. Although it contains non-heme iron, which is less bioavailable due to the presence of oxalates, it is still considered an iron-rich food.
Option D: Liver is one of the most concentrated dietary sources of heme iron. It is frequently recommended for preventing and treating iron-deficiency anemia.

Visual 1: Infographic - A chart comparing the iron content (in mg per 100g) of various foods, including liver, spinach, fish, and milk, to visually highlight the difference.
Visual 2: Diagram - A simple flowchart showing the two types of dietary iron (heme and non-heme), their food sources, and the key factors that enhance or inhibit their absorption in the gut.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Dietary sources of iron and factors affecting its absorption as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a vital role in nutritional counseling. Knowing which foods are poor sources of iron, like milk, is as important as knowing the rich sources, especially when advising patients with or at risk for iron-deficiency anemia.
It is crucial to educate parents that while milk is important for calcium, over-reliance on it for a toddler's diet can lead to iron-deficiency anemia by displacing iron-rich foods and inhibiting iron absorption.
What if? - If a patient is a vegetarian with iron-deficiency anemia, the nurse's advice would shift from recommending heme sources (liver, fish) to focusing on non-heme sources (spinach, lentils, fortified cereals) and crucially, advising them to consume these with a source of Vitamin C (like orange juice or bell peppers) to maximize absorption.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword 'EXCEPT'. This tells you that three of the options are correct examples of the category (foods rich in iron), and your task is to find the one that is not.
Evaluate each option based on your knowledge of nutrition.
Recall or deduce the iron content of each food: Liver (very high), Fish (high), Spinach (high, but less absorbed), Milk (very low).
The option that does not fit the 'iron-rich' category is Milk.
Confirm your choice by remembering that milk's high calcium content also inhibits iron absorption, making it the clear outlier.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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