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To treat anemia it is necessary to increase the amount of hemoglobin in the bloodstream, which is the component of the blood 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 dealing with anemia for 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
Foods rich in iron are mainly red meat, chicken, eggs, liver and some plant foods, such as beets, parsley, beans and lentils. These foods should be included in all meals, with snacks such as sandwich or tapioca with egg, cheese or shredded chicken, for example.
There are many foods that can help achieve 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 | Parsley | 3.1 mg |
Whole egg | 2 to 4 mg | Raisins | 1.9 mg |
Barley bread | 6.5 mg | Acai | 11.8 mg |
Black beans, chickpeas and raw soy | 8.6 mg; 1.4 mg; 8.8 mg | Prune | 3.5 mg |
Fresh canned spinach, 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 |
In addition, 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. Eat acidic fruits with meals
The iron contained in foods of plant origin, such as beans and beets, is more difficult to be absorbed by the intestine, needing vitamin C to increase this rate of absorption by the body. Therefore, consuming acidic fruits and fresh vegetables with meals, which are usually 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 to make juices rich in iron and vitamin C, such as beet juice with carrots and oranges.
3. Avoid consumption of calcium-rich foods
Calcium-rich foods such as milk and dairy products decrease 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 does not exclude the need to take the drugs prescribed by the doctor, but it is a natural way to complete and enrich the diet.
Watch the video and see other tips from our nutritionist to treat anemia faster: