Final answer:
Heme iron, found in animal products, is absorbed more efficiently by the body compared to non-heme iron from plant foods, and is essential for forming the body's total iron pool and production of red blood cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of iron found in animal products that is more readily absorbed by the body is heme iron. Heme iron, which is found in meat, poultry, and fish, is part of the heme group in hemoglobin and is absorbed more efficiently than non-heme iron from plant foods. Iron absorption is crucial because it becomes part of the body's total iron pool, influencing the production of erythrocytes. Iron is stored in the bone marrow, liver, and spleen as ferritin and hemosiderin. Upon release from storage, iron is bound to transferrin and transported to where it is needed, particularly to the red marrow for the creation of erythrocytes.