Sticky Toffee Buckwheat Porridge: A Ferritin-Friendly Breakfast
FOOD FIRST · RECIPES · WOMEN'S NUTRITION
Why ferritin matters
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in your body. Think of it as your iron reserve. When ferritin is low, your iron stores are running low, even if you haven't yet developed iron-deficiency anaemia.
Iron is essential for making haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around your body. Low iron stores can be associated with tiredness, low energy and reduced exercise tolerance.
Women can be particularly vulnerable to low iron stores, especially during their reproductive years. Heavy periods, pregnancy, insufficient dietary iron and problems absorbing iron can all contribute.
Can food help support ferritin?
Absolutely. What you eat matters, particularly when it comes to getting enough iron and considering how well your body absorbs it.
There are two main types of dietary iron:
Haem iron: Found in animal foods such as red meat, seafood and poultry. It is generally more easily absorbed.
Non-haem iron: Found in plant foods such as pumpkin seeds, legumes, leafy greens, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.
If you're focusing on plant-based iron, pairing iron-containing foods with vitamin C can help your body absorb more of that iron. Think kiwi fruit, citrus, strawberries, capsicum and broccoli.
Some everyday foods to include are:
Pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds
Lentils, chickpeas and beans
Leafy greens
Buckwheat and wholegrains
Tahini and nuts
Dried fruit, including dates and apricots
One little tip: tea and coffee can reduce the absorption of non-haem iron, so consider enjoying them between meals rather than alongside iron-focused meals.
The recipe: Sticky Toffee Buckwheat Porridge
This is the breakfast that tastes like dessert. Creamy buckwheat, naturally sweet dates, our Phase 1 Seed Cycle and Gut Fibre, finished with a homemade sticky toffee sauce.
It's delicious, satisfying and a lovely way to incorporate more whole-food nutrients into your day.
Ingredients
For the buckwheat porridge
1 cup organic buckwheat groats
Water or milk of your choice
2–3 chopped dates
For the sticky toffee sauce
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp maple syrup
A pinch of flaked sea salt
A splash of milk, if needed, to thin the sauce
Method
Soak your buckwheat: Place the organic buckwheat groats in a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for a few ours or overnight.
Rinse and cook: Drain and rinse thoroughly. Add to a saucepan with fresh water or milk of your choice. Simmer until soft and creamy, adding more liquid as needed.
Add the goodness: Stir through your chopped dates. Allow the porridge to cool slightly before mixing through your Phase 1 Seed Cycle and Gut Fibre.
Make the sticky toffee sauce: Combine tahini, maple syrup, Secret Spice Co Aroma and flaked sea salt. Add a splash of milk if you'd like a thinner consistency.
Assemble: Spoon the sticky toffee sauce generously over your porridge and finish with any extra chopped dates or pumpkin seeds.
Enjoy warm!
Want to add even more protein?
You can also swap your regular Phase 1 Seed Cycle for our Phase 1 Seed Cycling + Protein blend.
This brings together flax, pumpkin, hemp, Inca inchi, raw cacao and camu camu.
You're adding more plant protein, magnesium and iron-containing ingredients, along with vitamin C from camu camu.
It's another way to build more whole-food nutrition into breakfast, particularly if you're looking to increase your protein intake.
One nutritional consideration: cacao contains polyphenols that can reduce non-haem iron absorption, so don't position it as an iron-absorption enhancer. Vitamin C is the helpful addition here.
A little more about food and ferritin
I love the idea of looking at our everyday meals and asking: what nutrients am I actually getting?
Rather than thinking about individual ingredients in isolation, consider the bigger picture.
Are you eating enough iron-containing foods?
Are you including vitamin C alongside plant-based iron?
Are you eating enough protein?
Are you getting a variety of wholegrains, seeds, legumes and vegetables?
Small nutritional choices add up over time.
And importantly, if your ferritin is already low, don't rely on food alone to correct it. Speak with your healthcare professional about investigating the cause, monitoring your levels and whether iron supplementation is needed.
My philosophy has always been food first.
Not another complicated routine. Not another thousand supplements. Just finding delicious, practical ways to get more nutrition into the meals we're already eating.
And if breakfast tastes like sticky toffee pudding? Even better.
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