Anemia can be treated
with an iron-rich diet that helps increase red blood cells in the blood. Find
out which foods are high in iron and can help you.
Iron deficiency anemia
is characterized by a decrease in body iron stores, causing a reduction in the
number of red blood cells.
Red blood cells supply oxygen to all the cells in
the body, and iron is an essential mineral for oxygen transport.
For this
reason, when there is anemia, tiredness, fatigue, weakness, and pallor, among
other symptoms, usually appear.
There are population
groups that are more vulnerable to iron deficiency anemia because they have
increased iron requirements, such as in:
✱ Rapid growth stages (infants, children, adolescents).
✱ Pregnant or lactating women.
✱ Fertile women with significant blood loss during the
menstrual period.
However, a high
percentage of iron deficiency anemias are due to following inadequate diets
insufficient in iron and nutritional anemias.
Eating foods rich in iron and
foods that favor its absorption can help treat this type of anemia.
Therefore, when
designing a dietary treatment, the daily diet should include different types of
food.
Foods Rich in Iron
First of all, we must
bear in mind that there are two types of iron:
✱ Foods of animal origin (meat, fish and seafood,
liver...) which contain the heme iron, which is the one that is absorbed;
therefore, we must consume them in greater quantity.
✱ Other foods of vegetable origin (iron-enriched cereals,
legumes, nuts, vegetables) contain the so-called non-heme iron, which is
not absorbed in the same way.
Egg yolk has the peculiarity that it is a
food of animal origin; it contains non-heme iron.
Knowing this
distinction, the richest sources of iron in our diet are found in the following
foods:
✱ Meats: beef, pork, lamb; liver is an excellent source
and other organs.
✱ Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey. Liver stands out
(incredibly dark meat).
✱ Fish and seafood are foods rich in iron: Among them,
cockles, mussels, oysters, and scallops stand out as great sources due to
their high iron concentration.
Canned seafood (cans of tuna, sardines,
cockles, mussels, anchovies, etc.) is a very convenient and practical
alternative to consume heme iron daily.
Example: tuna or sardines or
anchovies’ sandwich, sea salad with cockles, mussels, prawns, or pasta
with tuna.
✱ Dark green leaves vegetables such as spinach, kale,
broccoli, and chard: Peas, leeks, and radishes are also rich sources of
iron.
But among all of them, parsley stands out for its iron concentration.
✱ Legumes: Dried beans and soybeans in grain or tofu form
stand out. A very healthy option is tofu burgers. Lentils and chickpeas
are excellent sources.
✱ Nuts: These include pistachios, cashews, almonds, and
roasted peanuts.
✱ Dried fruits are also excellent sources of iron:
Raisins stand out.
✱ White bread, pasta, rice, and cereals enriched with
iron.
Foods That Favor Iron
Absorption
Also, we must take
into account that certain foods help the absorption of iron, so we must add
them to our regular diet:
✱ Vitamin C or ascorbic acid favors its absorption. Among
the rich sources of vitamin C are peppers, parsley, citrus fruits (orange,
lemon), kiwi fruit, strawberries, etc.
Besides, if the fruit is left to
ripen on the tree and is harvested in season, it concentrates more vitamin
C.
✱ If several proteins are mixed in the same dish, they
favor the absorption of iron.
Increasing the consumption of foods
containing heme iron increases the absorption of non-heme iron (e.g.,
legumes with fish, brown rice with minced meat).
Foods That Decrease
Iron Absorption
Some foods work just
the opposite of those already mentioned, reducing iron absorption.
Therefore, a
person suffering from anemia should try to moderate their consumption:
✱ Phytates (whole grains).
✱ Tannins (coffee, tea, chocolate, red wine).
✱ Acetic acid (vinegar).
How to Achieve A
Balanced Diet Rich in Iron?
✱ Improve the selection of foods by choosing those that
contain a higher proportion of heme iron.
✱ If legumes are consumed, foods rich in vitamin C (bell
pepper, tomato, parsley, lemon, kiwi, orange...) or proteins (meat, fish,
egg) should be included to improve iron absorption.
Example: chickpeas
with fish or lentils with bell pepper.
✱ In a balanced diet, it is recommended to consume
legumes 1-3 times a week.
✱ Suppose meat, fish, or eggs are consumed to improve the
absorption of heme iron. In that case, an alternative is to introduce a
citrus fruit for dessert or to accompany the dish with a food rich in
vitamin C.
Example: meat with orange juice or fish seasoned with lemon or
meat accompanied with peppers or fish with garlic and parsley.
In a balanced diet, it is recommended to consume:
1. Lean meat (lean veal
(steak or fillet), beef tenderloin, pork loin, horse, beef hamburger...) 1-2
times a week.
2. White meat (skinless
chicken and turkey, rabbit) 2-3 times a week.
3. Fish 3-4 times a
week.
4. Egg 4 units per week
(no more than one yolk per day).
✱ Germination is a process that causes transformations in
the food, increasing the content of assimilable iron.
Therefore, when preparing
salads, it is recommended to include sprouts.
✱ Complement the daily diet with white bread, pasta,
rice, or cereals enriched with iron.
✱ Avoid drinking large amounts of tea, coffee, or acetic
acid (vinegar) with meals to inhibit iron absorption.
Consult your doctor for any health problem
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