Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Iron is one of the basic components of hemoglobin, the compound that helps blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. Iron deficiency has a problem with hemoglobin production and can lead to anemia, a lack of hemoglobin in the blood. For people with iron deficiency anemia, an iron-rich diet is one of the most recommended ways by doctors to help increase iron levels in the body.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Adhere to the Iron Rich Diet

1. 

   Determine your body's iron needs. The daily iron requirement depends on many factors, including age and gender. Excess iron can cause toxicity, so you should only meet your iron requirements every day when switching to an iron-rich diet.
   • Men and women 9-13 years: 8 mg
   • Men 14–18 years: 11 mg
   • Females 14–18 years: 15 mg
   • Men 19–50 years: 8 mg
   • Females 19–50 years: 18 mg
   • Men and women 51 and older: 8 mg
   • Pregnant women aged 14-50 years: 27mg

2. 

   
   
   Include iron-rich meats in your diet. Meat is a rich source of iron extracted from the hemoglobin found in animal foods (heme iron). Although non-heme iron is more common in most diets, iron from animals is more readily absorbed by the body. Beef and poultry are good sources of iron from animals.
   • 170 g of tenderloin contains about 3.2 mg of iron.
   • Beef or chicken liver or organ meats are also rich in iron, about 5-9 mg per 85 g serving.
   • When it comes to poultry, duck is the richest source of iron with 2.3 mg in an 85 g serving, followed by turkey with about 2.1 mg in an 85 g serving.
   • One of the reasons vegetarians and vegans often have low iron levels is that they don't eat meat. If you are a vegetarian or a vegetarian, make up for the iron deficiency by eating iron-rich vegetables.

3. 

   
   
   Eat more seafood. Certain types of seafood are also rich in iron from animals. These seafood are also high in protein and low in fat. Seafood is a great source of protein for vegetarians who can eat fish.
   • Clam and oysters are the most iron-rich seafood, with about 23 mg and 10 mg per 85 g serving, respectively.
   • 85 g of mollusks or mussels contains about 3.5 mg of iron.
   • A serving of 85 g of canned sardines in oil contains about 2.1 mg of iron; In addition, tuna, mackerel and Haddock are also rich in iron, with about 0.7 mg per serving.

4. 

   
   
   Increase the addition of beans to your diet. Even though plant sources of iron are not readily absorbed by the body, you can still get this iron, for example from beans. One cup of cooked beans contains about 3.5 mg of iron.
   • White beans are one of the richest sources of iron, about 3.9 mg per ½ cup.
   • Several other legumes are also rich in iron, around 2.1 mg per ½ cup. Examples are kidney beans, Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and Lima beans.

5. 

   Add tofu or soybeans to your diet. Vegetarians and vegans can still increase iron levels in their diets as tofu is also a rich source of plant-based iron. ½ cup of tofu contains up to 3.5 mg of iron.
   • Cooked beans (eg Edamame beans) can contain up to 4.4 mg per ½ cup.

6. 

   Eat a variety of dark, green vegetables. These vegetables contain high iron content. Spinach (spinach), kale and rainbow kale are the most plant-based iron-rich vegetables. For example, each 1/2 cup of spinach contains about 3.2 mg of iron. Green vegetables can also be prepared in a variety of ways, such as used as a salad or in a smoothie.

7. 

   Eat energy-rich foods like legumes and nuts. Sprouted seeds and beans are even richer in iron. For example, 30 g of pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds contain up to 4.2 mg of vegetable iron.
   • Although not as rich in iron as other seeds, sunflower seeds also contain about 0.7 iron per 30 g.

8. 

   Choose fortified foods. Many breakfast cereals, whole grains and oats are fortified with iron, making them a great choice to add iron to your diet. Check the label information to determine the iron content of the product.

9. 

   Take iron supplements. Iron supplements are also available and can be used to add iron to your diet. However, since your daily iron requirement is the combination of iron and iron supplements in the foods you eat. Therefore, remember to always consult your doctor before taking iron supplements to avoid leading to excessive iron absorption in your daily diet.

10. 

    Consider taking a vitamin supplement. Some vitamins and minerals will not be absorbed properly without other substances. For example, iron is more efficiently absorbed by the body along with vitamin C. On the other hand, iron absorption slows down when consumed with calcium. Vegans need vitamin B12 (a vitamin needed to absorb iron) because their diets don't provide enough vitamin B12.
    • Iron supplements can cause stomach upset. Take iron supplements with food or take them at night before going to bed.

11. 

    Avoid consuming foods and drinks that prevent iron absorption. Tea and coffee contain polyphenols that block iron absorption. Foods that block iron absorption include calcium-rich foods such as dairy products.
    • There is no need to avoid these foods completely, just don't consume them at the same time as iron-rich foods.

12. 

    Eat oranges or drink orange juice with iron supplements (iron sulfate, iron gluconate ,...). Vitamin C in oranges or orange juice will help support the absorption of iron.
    • This is especially important for people who depend mainly on plant iron sources as vitamin C helps the body absorb iron more easily.
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Part 2 of 2: Determining Anemia

1. 

   Check for the risk of anemia. Anyone can have iron deficiency anemia and about 20% of women (50% of pregnant women) and 3% of men have iron deficiency. Several other groups are also at increased risk of anemia, including:
   • Women (blood loss during menstruation and childbirth).
   • People over 65 years of age, the diet is often low in iron.
   • People who take blood thinners such as Aspirin, Plavix, Coumadin or Heparin.
   • People with kidney failure, especially on dialysis, are having difficulty making red blood cells.
   • People with iron absorption problems.
   • People on a low iron diet (usually vegan and vegetarian)

2. 

   Determine the symptoms of anemia. The main symptoms of anemia include feeling tired, short of breath, dizziness, headache, irritability, pale skin, difficulty concentrating and feeling cold.
   • Other signs include fast heart rate, brittle nails, cracked lips, sore tongue, muscle pain during exercise, and difficulty swallowing.
   • Iron-deficient infants and young children may experience delays in developing skills such as walking and talking, slow growing, and poor concentration.

3. 

   Go to the doctor. If you experience any of these symptoms, especially if you belong to one of the groups at high risk of anemia, you should see your doctor for a full test and determine whether iron deficiency anemia is is the cause or not. Seeing it is essential because your doctor can give you special instructions that you can incorporate into an iron supplement diet. advertisement

Advice

• Iron from animal sources is absorbed by the body 2-3 times more efficiently than iron from plant sources.

Warning

• The daily intake of iron should not exceed 45 mg. Iron content in the diet too high can cause iron toxicity. Always talk to your doctor before switching to a higher iron diet, especially if you want to incorporate iron supplements.