Dietary adjustments for people with iron deficiency anemia

1. The importance of diet for people with iron deficiency anemia

Iron is an important mineral used by our bodies to form red blood cells and deliver oxygen throughout the body. Iron deficiency causes fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating and leads to iron deficiency anemia.

According to BSCKII. Nguyen Thi Thao, Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, iron deficiency anemia is not an acute disease, but it greatly affects the health and labor productivity of the patient.

When anemic, patients often have symptoms: Fatigue, difficulty concentrating, pale skin, pale mucous membranes; Dry, brittle hair and nails; Dizziness, lightheadedness, headache; Chest pain, shortness of breath, especially when exerting; Rapid heartbeat, more severe can lead to heart failure...

Prolonged iron deficiency anemia has a great impact on children's development, especially causing mental and motor disorders.

Iron deficiency anemia greatly affects the patient's health. Illustration photo.

A diet supplemented with iron-rich foods plays a particularly important role in preventing and treating iron deficiency anemia. According to Dr. Phan Bich Nga, Head of the Department of Pediatric Nutrition Consultation and Examination, National Institute of Nutrition, nutritional anemia is the result of a deficiency of one or more essential micronutrients, especially iron.

In the early stages of iron deficiency without anemia, patients need to supplement iron through food and drink iron-containing preparations. Iron supplementation should be continued for 3 months after hemoglobin levels have returned to normal. In addition, it is necessary to combine treatment of the cause, find the cause of iron deficiency to treat it at the same time as treating iron deficiency anemia.

2. Essential nutrients for people with iron deficiency anemia

Eat well

The most effective way to prevent iron deficiency anemia is to have a nutritious diet. Specifically: Eat a variety of foods and ensure you eat enough of the 4 food groups, including starch, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

Using a variety of different foods makes meals more balanced in terms of value and micronutrients, and increases the absorption of nutrients, including iron.

Iron rich foods

In daily meals, it is necessary to supplement foods rich in iron. Foods of animal origin have the highest iron content such as: beef, chicken, animal liver, eggs, clams, oysters, milk...

Plant foods containing iron include: beans, lentils, tofu, potatoes, cashews, dark green leafy vegetables, bran-rich cereals, dried fruits...

However, the iron in animal foods (often called heme iron) is the best form of iron, as it is easily absorbed by the body. The iron found mainly in plant foods such as grains and vegetables (non-heme iron) is absorbed much less efficiently than heme iron.

In addition, you should increase your intake of green vegetables and fresh fruits rich in vitamin C to help your body absorb iron better. Note that you should not drink strong tea too close to meals, and should only drink it 2 hours or more after meals because the tannin in tea will limit iron absorption.

Foods rich in vitamin C

In addition to boosting immunity, vitamin C has also been shown to enhance iron absorption. It captures non-heme iron and stores it in a form that your body can more easily absorb. Research has also shown that taking vitamin C with meals increases iron absorption by 67%.

Therefore, when taking iron tablets or eating foods rich in iron, you should eat foods rich in vitamin C to help increase iron absorption such as: citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, melons, strawberries, bananas, mangoes...

For vegetarians (one of the groups at high risk of iron deficiency), iron absorption can be optimized by increasing fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C in daily meals.

Foods rich in zinc

Recent studies have shown that nutritional anemia is not simply a lack of iron but often a lack of other micronutrients, typically zinc. Therefore, to help prevent the risk of anemia, in addition to ensuring adequate iron intake, zinc should be supplemented in daily meals, especially for children.

Foods rich in zinc include: red meat, lean pork, poultry, egg yolks, oysters, clams, crabs, carrots, soybeans, bean sprouts, peas...

3. Suggest some good foods for people with iron deficiency anemia

Meats

Meats such as beef, chicken, pork, lamb, etc. are rich in iron that is easily absorbed by the body. Note that although red meat is a rich source of iron, it contains high levels of saturated fat which is not good for health. Therefore, we should not eat too much but should combine it with other iron-rich foods.

Beef is rich in iron.

Seafood

Many types of seafood are rich in iron such as: tuna, sardines, shrimp, oysters, clams... rich in iron similar to meat.

Animal liver

Animal liver is a food rich in iron, especially pork liver and beef liver. However, because they contain high cholesterol, we should eat them in moderation combined with other iron-rich foods.

Tofu

Tofu is a plant food rich in nutrients, especially calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B, iron. 126g of tofu can provide 3.4mg of iron. This is an ideal dish that is very suitable to provide iron and other micronutrients for vegetarians.

Pistachios

Nuts are also a good source of folate, which helps improve iron absorption. Pistachios, in particular, are an iron-rich snack that is not as high in calories as other nuts.

Pistachios are rich in beneficial nutrients such as: protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron. It is also one of the nuts rich in antioxidants that are beneficial to health.

Pumpkin seeds

Raw pumpkin seeds are rich in iron, with over 2 mg of iron in one cup of raw pumpkin seeds. When roasting pumpkin seeds, roast them at a low temperature to avoid reducing the iron content.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in iron.

Dark green leafy vegetables

The group of fresh dark green vegetables is a source of important vitamins and minerals for the body such as: fiber, vitamins A, C, K, calcium, iron. You should choose vegetables such as: broccoli, bok choy, kale... These vegetables also contain vitamin C, helping the body absorb iron from the diet.

Citrus fruits

People with iron deficiency anemia should eat fruits rich in vitamin C to help absorb iron better. Fruits with the highest vitamin C content include citrus fruits, lemons, grapefruits, etc.

Important: If you or your child has signs and symptoms that suggest iron deficiency anemia, see your doctor. Iron deficiency anemia is not a self-diagnosis or treatment condition. Therefore, see your doctor for a diagnosis rather than taking iron supplements on your own. Too much iron can be dangerous because excessive iron buildup can damage the liver and cause other complications.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/dieu-chinh-che-do-an-cho-nguoi-thieu-mau-do-thieu-sat-172240520162038389.htm