Nutrition for Iron Deficiency Anemia

With food, a person receives a large amount of nutrients. However, some of them are not completely absorbed. As a result, this leads to a deficiency of a certain component. For example, from food a person receives only 20% of the total iron content. With a lack of this element, the development of such an ailment as iron deficiency anemia is observed. Of course, the diet in this case does not save you from the disease, but it allows you to make therapy more effective. Nutrition for iron deficiency anemia is of particular importance.

nutrition for anemia

A bit about diet

In order for the treatment to be effective, the diet should be properly composed. For example, nutrition for adult anemia should include:

  1. Protein - 130 grams.
  2. Fats - 90 grams.
  3. Carbohydrates - 350 grams.
  4. Iron - 40 milligrams.
  5. Copper - 5 milligrams.
  6. Manganese - 7 milligrams.
  7. Zinc - 15 milligrams.
  8. Cobalt - 15 micrograms.
  9. Methionine - 2 grams.
  10. Choline - 4 grams.
  11. Vitamins B and C.

What should be iron

When choosing food products, one should focus not on the total iron content in them, but on what form this component is in. Only in this case, diet with anemia will give a result. Experts recommend eating food where iron is in the form of a heme. Most of this component is found in meat in this form.

nutrition for iron deficiency anemia

What meat to choose

Of course, not all meat products are most useful for anemia. For example, parenchymal organs, kidneys, liver, and also fish contain a lot of iron. However, they are rarely recommended for diets, since an important component in them is in a difficult to digest form. To be more precise, iron in such products is present in the form of hemosiderin and ferritin.

This component is best absorbed from eggs, corn, rice, spinach, fruits, legumes, veal and other types of meat.

How much iron is absorbed

Nutrition for anemia in children and adults in any case should be balanced. Many people think that this component is present only in meat products. This is not true. Iron is found in vegetables, and in fruits, and even in herbs. With a diet, a person receives 2.5 milligrams of this substance per day. At the same time, up to 15% of iron is absorbed from meat products, and up to 5% from vegetable products.

nutrition for anemia in the elderly

Anemia: Food

Diet for this disease is very important. Its observance will speed up the healing process. Nutrition for anemia should include the use of foods such as honey, fruit juices, apples, prunes, raisins, apricots, peaches, herbs, eggs, chocolate, cocoa, legumes, oat and buckwheat, porcini mushrooms, beef, chicken, meat turkey and rabbit, beef tongue and, of course, hematogen.

Some fruits should be included in the diet, among which should be apples, peaches and apricots. Do not give up juices and fruit drinks that are rich in succinic, malic and ascorbic acids. After all, such substances only improve the digestibility of iron.

anemia food

What foods improve iron absorption

To get rid of the disease, the patient should eat foods that contain not only iron, but also trace elements that contribute to the normalization of blood formation and ensure the active activity of enzymes that normalize metabolism. There are not so many of them.

Substances that improve metabolism, as well as the absorption and absorption of iron, include manganese, zinc, copper, cobalt and others. There is a list of products that contain these trace elements.

So, cobalt is most found in beets, pears, cherries, apricots, raspberries, black currants, gooseberries, cereals, legumes, milk, kidneys, and liver. The daily requirement of an adult in this substance is from 0.05 to 0.2 milligrams.

Products that are rich in copper include beef and liver, horseradish, watermelon, blackcurrant, strawberries, mushrooms, legumes, and various cereals. The daily human need for this component is from 2 to 3 milligrams.

Zinc is most found in eggs, mushrooms, legumes, cheese, beef, lungs, kidneys, liver and yeast. The daily human need for this substance is from 10 to 15 milligrams.

As for manganese, it is found in blackcurrant, raspberries, pumpkin, beets, spinach, dill, parsley, legumes and cereals. The daily requirement is from 5 to 7 milligrams.

Nutrition for anemia should be made taking into account all the nuances. In addition to iron-containing foods, a person should also use those that contain components that promote better absorption of iron.

nutrition for adult anemia

Honey is a source of health

For a long time this product has been used to treat various ailments not only in folk, but also in traditional medicine. Honey contains from 40 to 60% fructose. But it is this component that improves the intestinal absorption of iron. In addition, this product is rich in biologically active substances and trace elements. For those who have anemia, experts recommend consuming exactly dark varieties of honey, since they contain 4 times more iron, 2 times more copper, and 14 times more manganese than in light ones.

In most patients with anemia, a decrease in the acid-forming function of the stomach is observed . This occurs as a result of sideropenic syndrome. In such a situation, honey should be consumed exclusively before meals. In some patients, acid-forming function, in contrast, is increased. In this case, honey should be consumed approximately two hours before a meal. If there are no contraindications, then the patient can eat this product three times a day, up to 100 grams.

nutrition for anemia in children

Healing herbs and diet

Nutrition for anemia in the elderly and children can consist not only of products, but also of herbal drinks. With this disease, experts recommend using phyto-harvests, which include fruits that are rich in iron. These include blackcurrant, elderberry and wild rose. It is worth noting that the composition of these fruits contains ascorbic acid, which, as you know, increases the digestibility of iron.

Also, in case of anemia, a collection consisting of nettle leaves, a string, strawberries and black currants is recommended.

What should be excluded from the diet

Dietary nutrition for anemia should be done correctly. After all, some substances impair the digestibility of iron. So, you should distinguish between taking medications for anemia and dairy products. Calcium can significantly reduce the absorption of iron.

In addition, you should not eat foods that contain oxalates, glycine-conglycin, lectins, pectins, phosphates, thanates, phytates. Similar components are present in corn, rice, bran, baked goods, and cereals. It is also worth abandoning nuts, sorrel, spinach, rhubarb, asparagus, cabbage and beets.


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