Diet for anemia patients
Diet for anemia patients
Poverty is one of the most common diseases in the world. According to the World Health Organization, more than 25% of the world’s population suffers from anemia. Eating processed foods and avoiding healthy, balanced food is one of the most important causes of anemia.
Therefore, it is recommended to eat healthy, balanced foods, which include the following:
leafy vegetables
Dark green leafy vegetables are the best sources of iron, including spinach, kale, dandelions, chard, and cabbage. Although kale and spinach are rich sources of iron, they also contain oxalates. Oxalate, which is the element that prevents the absorption of iron from its plant sources (Non Heme Iron), so it is recommended to eat sources of vitamin C with leafy vegetables for its properties in helping the stomach absorb iron and from sources of vitamin C oranges, red peppers, and strawberries, some leafy vegetables are among the sources Good for vitamin C and iron, such as chard and cabbage.
Meat and poultry
Sheep, lamb, and venison are among the best sources of animal iron, which is known as heme iron, and poultry contains less iron, and when eating animal sources of iron with plant sources, which is known as non-heme iron (in English: Non Heme Iron), such as leafy vegetables, can increase iron absorption.
liver
The viscera meat is one of the important sources of iron, and the most famous visceral meat is the liver, which is also rich in folate, and the presence of iron in viscera meat is not limited to the liver only.
sea food
Most fish contain iron. Shellfish such as oysters and shrimp are good sources of iron. Canned sardines in oil, fresh or canned tuna, and fresh fish such as salmon, halibut and haddock, these types of fish are among the rich sources of iron. Rich in iron, but it contains calcium, which binds to iron and works to reduce its absorption, so it is recommended to stay away from calcium sources while eating iron-rich foods.
fortified food
There are several foods to which iron is added and can be added to the diet if a person wants to increase the iron intake or for vegetarians, and fortified foods include orange juice, refined white flour, pasta, cornstarch, rice, and ready-to-eat cereals.
cereal
Cereals are good sources of iron, especially for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Iron-rich grains include beans, soybeans, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans and peas.
seeds and nuts
Most seeds and nuts are good sources of iron, especially raw ones. Pumpkin, hemp, sunflower, cashew, pistachio, and pine seeds are iron-rich grains and seeds, and although almonds are a good source of iron, they contain calcium that reduces the efficiency of iron absorption. .
Foods that reduce iron absorption prepare coffee
Tea, dairy products, and foods that contain phytic acid, such as whole grains, reduce the absorption of iron, whether from food sources or from medicines, so if you eat large quantities of these foods and drinks, they will make iron absorption difficult.
effects of anemia
If it is not treated, if the anemia is not treated, this leads to:
Weakened immune system, which makes a person more susceptible to receiving diseases and infections.
Complications that may affect the heart and lungs, such as an abnormally fast heart rate (tachycardia) and heart failure.
Complications that may affect a pregnant woman before and after pregnancy.
Folic acid deficiency
If the meal is low in folic acid sources, this may also lead to anemia, which is known as megaloblastic anemia, where red blood cells appear distorted, large, and undeveloped. In appetite, skin irritation, and diarrhea in addition to the typical symptoms of anemia, people who drink alcohol, who suffer from wheat allergy or pregnant women are more likely to develop anemia, so it is recommended to eat adequate amounts of folic acid sources found in leafy vegetables Fruits, grains, yeasts, and meats.