A non-toxic artificial mineral water composition containing bioavailable iron consists of an aqueous solution having a pH of from 1 to 5 containing ferrous ions at a concentration of from 100 to 300 mg/l and a non-toxic amount of Zn 2+ ions, and wherein the composition, when diluted to an iron concentration of 20 µM, has an iron uptake, measured as intracellular ferritin, of greater than 120 ng/mg protein. The mineral water composition provides oral, bioavailable iron that has use as a supplement to dietary iron.
