Vitamin C helps absorb iron. Which option lists the correct nutrient?

• A. Vitamin C
• B. Vitamin D
• C. Calcium
• D. Zinc

Answer: (A)

Vitamin C boosts iron absorption, especially non-heme iron from plant-based foods. It helps by reducing ferric iron (Fe3+) to the more soluble ferrous form (Fe2+) and by forming a soluble complex that keeps iron dissolved as it moves through the gut, making it easier to absorb. This is why pairing iron-rich foods with Vitamin C–rich foods (like citrus, peppers, or broccoli) improves iron uptake. Other options don’t enhance iron absorption in the same way: Vitamin D is mainly about calcium metabolism and bone health, Calcium itself doesn’t promote iron uptake and can even slightly hinder it, and Zinc supports many functions but doesn’t help iron absorption (and can compete with iron at high doses). So the nutrient that helps absorb iron is Vitamin C.