Highly Effective Iron Supplementation and Forest Treasures: The Absorption Advantages of Heme Iron and the Taste Miracle of Gymnema sylvestre

Fortified iron and CPP jelly. Adding iron to food can affect its flavor and color, and in many cases, it can promote fat oxidation, making it impossible to add excessive amounts of iron to food. Therefore, popular jellies are made by combining food-based factors that aid iron absorption (Vc, VB₁2, folic acid, organic acids) with CPP. These jellies have a plum juice and organic acid tartness, and contain pectin, sugar, and vitamins. Each 5-gram serving contains 5 mg of iron and 5 mg of CPP. Fortified iron and CPP fruit juice beverages.

This is a refreshing fruit juice beverage with a high iron absorption rate, designed for pregnant women, postpartum women, and other women with iron deficiency. Currently available are apple and grapefruit juice drinks. While some plant-based foods are rich in iron, iron absorption is affected by the foods consumed simultaneously. Animal protein and vitamin C aid iron absorption, while green tea, due to its tannins, hinders iron absorption. Iron pots and kettles are no longer commonly used, but these items release iron during use, which can be beneficial for iron supplementation.

Heme iron is produced from hemoglobin in the blood of animals such as cattle. Hemoglobin is a protein with a molecular weight of approximately 64,500, composed of heme and globulin. One molecule of hemoglobin contains four molecules of heme, and its iron content is approximately 0.3%. Heme iron is obtained by breaking down the protein portion of hemoglobin using proteolytic enzymes, followed by deodorization and purification. The iron content of heme iron can reach 1.0% to 1.3%, approximately four times the iron content (concentration) of hemoglobin. At this point, the protein content is still about 80%.

Further breaking down proteins to obtain heme monomers is technically possible. However, research reports indicate that the presence of protein can promote intestinal absorption of heme iron, and completely breaking down proteins would be extremely costly. Therefore, an iron content of 1.0%–2.0% is considered optimal. Heme iron, along with other iron compounds used as food additives and oral iron supplements in the pharmaceutical field, can all be used for the prevention and symptom improvement of iron deficiency anemia.

However, because heme iron is a naturally processed food, it differs significantly in terms of absorption and safety. The main differences between heme iron (organic iron compounds) and non-heme iron (inorganic iron compounds) are: ① heme iron is easily absorbed; ② heme iron has a high absorption rate; and ③ heme iron has fewer side effects. These differences are primarily due to their different absorption mechanisms. More than 70% of non-heme iron is ingested orally, where it is converted into free ferrous (Fe2+) or ferric (Fe3+) iron by the action of stomach acid.

After ferric iron (Fe3+) is reduced to ferrous iron (Fe2+), some of it binds to ferric transferrin near the intestinal wall and is absorbed into the intestinal tract. Therefore, iron absorption varies greatly depending on the amount of stomach acid. Furthermore, carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, nitrates, and even dietary fiber and inositol hexaphosphate all hinder the absorption of non-heme iron. This is also why iron from plant-based foods is not easily absorbed. However, vitamin C can promote the absorption of non-heme iron. Heme iron is absorbed in the intestine in the form of heme.

Then, in the intestinal mucosal cells, it is broken down into ferrous iron by xanthine oxidase, and like non-heme iron, it is transferred into the bloodstream, where it binds to ferrotransferrin and is transported to tissues such as the bone marrow and liver. Because heme iron is absorbed in heme form, it is not affected by absorption inhibitors and has none of the side effects of non-heme iron, such as irritation to the digestive system, nausea, and stomach discomfort. How to effectively utilize these superior properties of heme iron to develop food products and expand markets should be a future research topic.

Forest gymnospermum is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Gymnema, distributed in regions with distinct dry and rainy seasons, primarily in southern India, including Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, southwestern China, the Philippines, and Australia. It grows as a vine, twining around other trees, reaching 3-4 meters in length. The leaves are ovate or elliptical, 3-8 centimeters long, and are harvested and dried for use after maturity. As early as 2500 years ago, the leaves were used in India as a medicine for treating diabetes.

The leaves of this plant have an incredible property: they can eliminate sweetness. Europe learned of this property in the mid-19th century. At that time, British Captain Edwards, stationed in India, heard about this amazing plant from the residents of a small village in northern India, and he decided to try it out.