Table of contents:
- 1. Eat foods with iron at every meal
- 2. Eating acidic fruits with meals
- 3. Avoid consumption of foods rich in calcium
To treat anemia it is necessary to increase the amount of hemoglobin in the bloodstream, which is the blood component that carries oxygen to different parts of the body.
One of the most frequent causes of the decrease in hemoglobin is the lack of iron in the body and, therefore, increasing the consumption of foods rich in this nutrient is an excellent way to enhance the treatment indicated by the doctor, especially when it comes to of a case of anemia due to lack of iron.
The following are 3 simple but essential tips that allow you to enhance the treatment of anemia in cases of iron deficiency:
1. Eat foods with iron at every meal
Iron-rich foods are mainly red meat, chicken, eggs, liver and some plant foods such as beets, parsley, beans and lentils. These foods should be included in every meal, with snacks such as a sandwich or tapioca with egg, cheese or shredded chicken, for example. Check out the best foods to cure anemia.
There are many foods that can help you reach the recommended daily amount, some examples are:
| Food | Amount of iron in 100 g | Food | Amount of iron in 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meat, but mostly liver | 12 mg | Salsinha | 3, 1 mg |
| Whole egg | 2 to 4 mg | Rains | 1, 9 mg |
| Barley bread | 6, 5 mg | Açaí | 11, 8 mg |
| Black beans, chickpeas and raw soybeans | 8, 6 mg; 1.4 mg; 8.8 mg | Prune | 3, 5 mg |
| Canned spinach, fresh watercress and arugula | 3, 08 mg; 2.6 mg; 1.5 mg | Fig in syrup | 5, 2 mg |
| Oysters and mussels | 5.8 mg; 6.0 mg | Dehydrated Jenipapo | 14, 9 mg |
| Oat flakes | 4, 5 mg | Jambu | 4, 0 mg |
| Brazil nuts | 5.0 mg | Raspberry in syrup | 4, 1 mg |
| Rapadura | 4, 2 mg | Avocado | 1, 0 mg |
| Cocoa powder | 2, 7 mg | Tofu | 6, 5 mg |
Also, cooking food in an iron pot also helps to increase the amount of iron in these foods. See 3 tricks to enrich foods with iron.
2. Eating acidic fruits with meals
Iron contained in plant foods, such as beans and beets, is more difficult to be absorbed by the intestine, requiring vitamin C to increase this rate of absorption by the body. Therefore, consuming acidic fruits and fresh vegetables with meals, which are normally rich in vitamin C, helps to fight anemia.
So, good tips are to drink lemon juice during meals or eat fruits like oranges, pineapples or cashews for dessert, and make juices rich in iron and vitamin C, such as beetroot juice with carrots and oranges.
3. Avoid consumption of foods rich in calcium
Foods rich in calcium, such as milk and dairy products, reduce iron absorption and should be avoided during main meals, such as lunch and dinner. In addition, alcoholic beverages, coffee, chocolate and beer can also impair absorption and should be avoided.
These precautions must be followed throughout the treatment for anemia and do not exclude the need to take the medication prescribed by the doctor, but it is a natural way to complete and enrich the diet.
