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Diet Tips for Fighting Anemia

Submitted by Serena Mason on June 24, 2010

Anemia is a blood disorder that develops when the number of red blood cells decrease or when the hemoglobin level drops. It is usually more common in women. Causes include a chronic illness, jaundice, hepatitis and internal bleeding among others. There are several types of anemia too. Symptoms range from dizziness, indigestion, pale skin, fingernails, fainting to shortness of breath and numbness.

Diet for Anemia: It is best to follow a diet rich in iron to fight anemia.

It is also important to remember to reduce the intake of foods which prevent iron absorption in the body. These include but are not limited to tea, coffee, dairy products, beer, soft drinks and ice cream.

Foods for Anemia: Red meats such as liver or beef have strong iron content.

Other meats that are beneficial too are shellfish, turkey, sardines, chicken, lamb and pork. Bone marrow and tuna are good too.

Incorporate healthy iron snacks into your diet. These could be peanuts, walnuts, cashews, or almonds.

An apple will suffice too. Cereal bars, apricots, dates, figs, sultanas, soaked and peeled almonds help.

Vitamins for Anemia: Beetroot contain a large amount of folic acid. The juice can be drunk plain or with honey.

Other juices which help are carrot, apple (with tomato) and gooseberry. White cabbage juice can help too.

Honey helps raise the hemoglobin level. Have it plain or with a fruit or in a juice.

Off the shelf products like cereals, flour, and pasta are often fortified with iron. Check the labels carefully to ensure you choose the right one.

Vitamin C helps to absorb iron. Toss up a salad with baked beans, green leafy vegetables and citrus fruit.

Vegetables which are especially nutritious are green pepper, parsley, asparagus, kale, carrots, beet green, fresh peas, and cooked spinach.

Dry fruit is a good source of iron as well. Refrain from eating too many at a time as they contain a great deal of fructose.

Black strap molasses contain both vitamin B and iron. Enjoy them with pancakes or waffles.

Other foods for anemia include jaggery, brown rice, dandelion tea, liquorice tea, pomegranates, grapes, figs, eggs, watercress, lima beans, rice bran, lentils, sea vegetables and prune juice.

Sunflower seeds, black sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds are of benefit too.

It is important to remember that there is no food that can by itself treat iron deficiency anemia. The above mentioned foods will assist in supplementing the iron loss and improve overall health as well.