Foods needed for people with iron deficiency anemia

Iron is an essential mineral for the organs in the body, bone marrow needs iron to create red blood cells. Iron plays an important role in the structure of hemoglobin molecules. Iron also helps muscles store and use oxygen. When the body does not have enough iron, many parts and metabolic processes in our body will be affected. If this condition persists, anemia will appear and is called iron deficiency anemia.

Consequences of iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency can cause fatigue and reduced physical performance in adults, and can affect memory or other mental functions in adolescents. Symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, poor attention, poor concentration, and irritability are common in people with anemia. The academic performance of students with anemia is significantly lower than that of children without anemia and can be overcome after iron supplementation.

Beans are rich in iron.

When anemia is severe and prolonged, the lack of oxygen in the blood can damage the heart, brain and other organs of the body. Anemia affects activities that require energy consumption. Many studies show that the labor capacity of people with anemia is much lower than that of normal people, even when they have iron deficiency but have not yet shown anemia. Anemia at a very severe level can cause death. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. However, it is also the easiest to treat if the cause is detected early.

Diet in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia

The nutritional regimen in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia includes: adequate energy, rich in animal protein, adequate vitamin C, limiting foods that affect iron absorption and food processing to ensure better iron absorption.

Food sources rich in iron include:

- Eggs of all kinds (chicken eggs, duck eggs).

- Liver (cow, pig, chicken, duck, goose) and other organs (heart, kidney).

- Meat of all kinds: beef, pork, chicken, duck.

- Fish, seafood: including crab, shrimp, mackerel, mussels, oysters, sardines, anchovies.

- Green leafy vegetables such as celery, jute, amaranth, Chinese spinach, betel leaves, Malabar spinach, squash, green mustard, watercress.

- Ripe fruit: papaya, apple, sapodilla, pear.

- Beans such as soybeans, black beans, red beans, green beans.

- Iron-fortified foods such as iron-fortified biscuits, instant cereals, iron-fortified fish sauce, iron-fortified flour, and iron-fortified milk.

- Brown rice has more iron than well-polished rice.

Foods that affect iron absorption:

Some foods do not contain iron, but when eaten with iron-rich foods, they can help increase iron absorption. Foods rich in vitamin C help absorb iron (found in grapefruit, oranges, lemons, guava, strawberries, longans, tangerines, peppers, tomatoes, etc.). Another way to increase iron absorption from plant sources is to eat them with meat, which is also a source of iron.

Certain foods can reduce iron absorption. Drinking coffee or tea with meals can reduce iron absorption by 50-60%. Phytates in some cereals, beans, and phosphates in cola can interfere with iron absorption. Calcium can also reduce iron absorption from meals, but the effects are seen only with high calcium supplements rather than with a calcium-rich diet.
According to health and life