Iron Meal Plan: Ferritin Recovery
Why no supplements?
C282Y homozygous means the gut absorbs iron too aggressively. Supplementing risks rapid overload even when ferritin is low-normal. Diet-only is the safe path.
Target range
50-100 ng/mL. Not 232 (lab upper normal). APOE4 e4/e4 context makes tighter ceiling important, excess iron is neurotoxic.
Constraints
No shellfish. No liver. Dislikes: dark chocolate, cooked spinach. Loves: ground beef, steak, roasts, albacore tuna, Greek yogurt, cheese, butter, cream.
Hard avoids
No iron supplements. No calcium supplements with meals. No coffee or tea within 1 hour of iron-rich meals.
Best Iron Foods
| Food | Iron | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Sirloin steak 5oz | 3.3mg | Heme |
| Ground beef 5oz (90/10) | 3.5mg | Heme |
| Chuck roast 5oz | 3.0mg | Heme |
| Albacore tuna 3oz | 1.3mg | Heme |
| White beans 1 cup | 3.9mg | Non-heme |
| Dried apricots ½ cup | 3.5mg | Non-heme |
| Broccoli 1 cup cooked | 1.0mg | Non-heme |
| Lentils 1 cup cooked | 6.6mg | Non-heme |
| Kidney/black beans 1 cup | 3.9mg | Non-heme |
| Pumpkin seeds 1oz | 2.5mg | Non-heme |
Heme iron (red/dark meat, fish) is absorbed 15-35%. Non-heme iron is 2-20%, but pairing with heme or vitamin C boosts absorption significantly.
7-Day Meal Plan
Day 1: Monday
Day 2: Tuesday
Day 3: Wednesday
Day 4: Thursday
Day 5: Friday
Day 6: Saturday
Day 7: Sunday
Absorption Tips & Avoids
Do these to boost absorption
- Squeeze lemon on bean and arugula dishes, vitamin C significantly boosts non-heme iron
- Eat red meat and beans in the same meal, heme iron enhances non-heme absorption
- Dried apricots (½ cup = 3.5mg) pair perfectly with Greek yogurt or as a standalone snack
- Pumpkin seeds (1oz = 2.5mg) add iron and crunch to yogurt, oatmeal, or salads
Hard avoids
- No iron supplements: C282Y homozygous gut will absorb too aggressively, risks rapid overload
- No coffee or tea within 1 hour of iron-rich meals, tannins block absorption by up to 60%
- No calcium supplements at mealtime, competes directly with iron absorption
- No shellfish, constraint, not an iron issue
Recovery Timeline
ApoB Compatibility Note
Red meat 4-5x/week is compatible with the ApoB protocol as long as you use lean cuts as the daily driver. The ezetimibe does the heavy ApoB lifting, dietary saturated fat is a secondary lever.
- Daily drivers (lean): sirloin, 90/10 ground beef, top round, tenderloin, loin cuts
- Saturday treat: ribeye or NY strip once a week is fine
- What to avoid: daily ribeye, 80/20 or fattier ground beef every day, heavily marbled cuts as the routine choice
- Albacore tuna: great iron + protein, near-zero saturated fat, use freely
Current ApoB: 126 mg/dL (05/15/2026). Target: 60 mg/dL. Ezetimibe running. This meal plan doesn't undermine that goal when lean cuts are the default.
Personal health reference. Not medical advice. Retest iron panel in ~6 months and adjust accordingly.
Vault note: HealthVault/Topics/Iron Meal Plan - Ferritin Recovery C282Y.md