Hemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that binds oxygen. Therefore, if you have few or abnormal hemoglobin or red blood cells, then your body cells will not get sufficient oxygen. The normal lifespan of a red blood cell is about 120 days and RBC is made in the bone marrow. 3.5 million Americans are affected by anemia, especially women. All have different symptoms, causes, and treatments. At least, there are more than 400 types of anemia, which are divided into three major groups.
- Anemia due to the lack of blood.
- Anemia due to the demolition of red blood cells.
- Anemia due to less production of red blood cells.
The common symptoms of anemia include weakness, fast heartbeat, tiredness, shortness of breath; erosion, swollen at the corners of mouth, pale skin, headache, cold feet’s and hands, and in some cases tongue become smooth, inflamed and shiny.
There are many possible treatments to combat anemia without having any high dose medication. If you are anemic, healthier diet is very important for you. For the convenience of our users, I am sharing Top 20 foods to combat anemia. You must include such foods in your diet that contain proteins, vitamins, folic acid, iron, and B12.
20. Beans
When it comes to the iron-rich foods, there is a variety of beans in the market like kidney, soy, navy and pinto top the list. So you need to prepare them in a proper way to get the benefit. As beans are the great source of Iron, it is the best food for you if you are anemic. Beans are the high-protein and low-fat food to combat anemia. One cup of any of beans provides 5mg of iron.
- Must use half a cup of boiled beans in your diet.
- You need to soak the beans in warm water overnight before cooking to reduce the phytic acid in the beans.
19. Spinach
Spinach is a very healthy green vegetable that helps in preventing anemia. Spinach is the great source of iron, calcium, B9, fiber, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. It helps you to improve the overall health of your body. According to a research report, one cup of boiled spinach contains 3.2mg iron. So make sure that you must use spinach in your daily diet to increase the blood in your body.
- You can use spinach in a salad; try to increase the amount of spinach in your daily diet. You can use spinach with other vegetables like kale, broccoli, celery, and many more to easy combat anemia.
- Boil the spinach leaves in one cup of water and adds some efficient seasoning to make a healthy soup. Must drink spinach soup two times a day to combat anemia.
18. Carrots
Try to take carrots in your daily diet because it helps you to overcome anemia.
- Use fresh carrots in your diet either in the salad or in the cooked form.
17. Red Meat
All Red meat, lamb, pork, and beef have a rich content of iron. It is a good source of the vitamin, especially a vitamin B12. Red meat contains heme iron, which will be easily consumed by the body. The liver, kidney, and heart are those parts of all red meats that contain a huge amount of iron. According to a research report, beef liver fulfills more than the 600 percent of your daily requirement of iron. The liver is the best option to increase your blood level with vitamin B12 and iron.
- Make sure that you must use red meat at least two times a week because three ounces of cooked chicken or beef contain about 1 to 2.5mg of heme-iron.
- Try to include chicken liver or beef liver in your daily diet because these livers contain 2.1mg of heme-iron that will help you to boost red blood cells in your body.
16. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the richest sources of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K and beta-carotene. Tomatoes are best to combat anemia and your overall health. Eating a right number of tomatoes daily gives you adequate nutrients, vitamins C, and iron. Due to the vitamin C, tomatoes help in the easy absorption of iron. It is also a fat-burning food and serves as a good nutrient for all skin and hair problems.
- You can use one or two raw tomatoes in your daily diet to increase the vitamin C in your body and to absorb enough amount of iron.
- Try to use plenty of tomato juice as well because it’s the best way to fight anemia.
“Anemia is one of the blood disorders that occur commonly in the human being. If a person suffers from this blood disorder, he has to use such foods that would be healthy for him and help him to recover his health. Above mentioned super foods would be helpful for you in this matter.”
15. Eggs
The egg is the super food with a lot of antioxidants and a rich source of protein which helps in building up vitamins in your body if you are anemic. One egg contains about 1mg of iron, which provides at least 11% of RNI (Reference nutrient intake) for males and 7% of the RNI for females. Hence, by using one egg daily will help to combat anemia.
Eggs contain a higher amount of healthy fats, proteins, and vitamins A, E, D and B12 that makes you feel active with the low amount of calories.
- You can use boiled egg in your daily diet to fight anemia.
- Take a boiled egg daily in your breakfast to boost your blood and vitamins in your body.
- You can also use half boiled egg or poached egg or egg scrambler or full boiled egg in your daily breakfast to boost vitamins in your body and to improve your body joints and bones.
14. Nuts
Nuts are the best food to combat anemia due to the balanced amount of fibers, proteins, vitamins and iron. It is the greatest source of iron, which helps you to boost the iron level in your body. A nut also helps you to gain an iron level immensely even when you are on the move. Although nuts are high in iron, and also contain phytic acid that blocks the absorption of iron in the body.
There are a variety of nuts that can provide proteins, iron, and essential vitamins like dried apricots, prunes, dried peaches, dates, figs, peanuts, and raisins.
- Every day, simply consume a hand full of nuts to fulfill the daily requirements of iron in your body.
- You can eat 10grams of nuts daily because it contains 15gm of iron in 10gram of nuts.
- You can eat nuts as mid breakfast, snacks or mid-afternoon snacks to boost the vitamins in your body.
13. Honey
Honey is the sweetest way to overcome the deficiency of iron. It is a healthy food for the entire body, and it contains enough amount of iron. Honey also contains magnesium and copper that helps you to increase hemoglobin in your body. 100 grams of honey contain 0.42 mg of iron; make sure that you are taking a good amount of honey every day.
- Mix one tablespoon of honey in one glass of warm water early in the morning every day to combat anemia.
- Add one tablespoon of honey in one glass of lemon juice and drink it early in the morning every day on an empty stomach, it will help in fighting anemia effectively.
- You can use honey with apple cider vinegar. Mix one tablespoon of honey and apple cider vinegar with fresh lemon juice. Take this drink once in a day to combat anemia.
12. Apple
Apple is also known to help in increasing the iron level in the body. An apple a day will keep you away from a doctor if there is a lack of iron in your body. Apple is the great source of iron and vitamin C. Due to the vitamin C; apples help a lot in absorbing, non-heme-iron in the body.
- You can eat a fresh apple, or drink freshly prepared apple juice daily to boost the iron in your body.
- A 100-gram apple contains 0.12 mg of iron, so make sure that you must eat two apples every day.
11. Pomegranates
Pomegranates contain vitamin A, iron, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and fiber as well. It supplies iron to your body and thus helps in reducing anemia symptoms like weakness, tiredness, dizziness, etc. It is one of the popular fruits, which is the great source of vitamin C and iron. It helps in improving the flow of blood in the body.
- Try to eat one full pomegranate every day to reduce the anemic symptoms.
- You can also use fresh juice out of the pomegranate seeds and drink one glass every day in the breakfast.
10. Beetroot
Beetroot is the best way to combat anemia, either in the cooked form or in salad form. You can also drink the fresh juice of beet-root. To cure anemia, it is a perfect option to use red beet-root. It is an effective blood purifier, and it considers the best way to treat anemia. Nutrients in the Beetroot re-establish and re-activate the blood cells during anemia.
- Extract the beet-root juice and drink this juice twice a day.
- Drink juice in the early morning on the empty stomach to combat anemia.
- Use Beetroot in a cooked form or with some other vegetables in a salad in your diet.
9. Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are also helpful in treating anemia. Especially black sesame seeds are powerful ingredients, which are rich in iron.
- Use sesame seeds in your daily diet.
- You can use sesame seeds with honey.
8. Sea foods
One of the many benefits of seafood is that it can reduce anemia symptoms. It is the best source of iron. Being rich in iron, fish is the best food that helps in preventing anemia. Many fatty fishes like tuna, salmon and seafood like oysters and mussels are also affluent in iron and vitamins. Seafood contains 7.2 mg of iron in 100 grams.
- Take two or three slices of seafood in your daily diet to combat anemia.
- Make sure that you take enough amounts of sea foods every day in your diet because 100 grams of seafood contain 7.2mg of iron.
7. Molasses
Molasses is a rich food in iron. One tablespoon of molasses contains 3.2mg of iron. It also contains vitamin B12, iron, and other healthy nutrients which help to boost the iron in the body. It is a tasty source of iron.
- Try to use molasses in your daily diet.
- Make sure that you are adding molasses to your baking.
6. Mushroom
Mushroom is the great option for you if you are an anemic. A recent report shows that eating a mushroom daily you feel relaxed, and it will help in boosting iron in your body. Cooked mushrooms are the great source of proteins, that’s why they provide you unexpected proteins. Mushroom also includes a decent amount of fibers, Iron, Copper, Potassium, selenium, and zinc.
- Try to use a cooked mushroom in your regular diet because they fulfill the everyday requirement of protein and nutrients.
- Make sure that you are taking enough amounts of mushrooms in your daily diet.
5. Green Vegetables
All green vegetables are rich in iron and vitamin B12 too. Green vegetables are the healthy food to combat anemia. Green vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, Mustard green, Cucumber and Spinach also. Using green vegetables in the daily diet is an attractive way to reform the volume of your meal, with a high amount of iron. Being rich in fibers, it also reduces the symptoms of anemia.
- Use green vegetables in your daily diet.
- You can use green vegetables either in cooked form or in the salad.
4. Dark Chocolate
Those days are gone when people think that the dark chocolates are the biggest reason for weight gain. Dark chocolates can help to combat anemia because it has a favorable amount of cocoa powder, which is the great source of nutrients and iron that provides you unexpected strength. It also helps to boost blood circulation as well.
- Take a piece of dark chocolate or two in your daily diet.
- 100 grams of dark chocolate contain 17mg of iron, eating chocolate alone is not only enough to help you to reduce anemia, so always eat dark chocolates in conjunction with other iron-rich foods.
3. Raisins And Dates
Dates contain the highest amount of iron and very useful to combat anemia.
- Raisins and dates are the excellent way to boost the iron level in the body.
- Take enough amounts of raisins and dates daily to overcome anemia.
2. Whole Grain Bread
Whole-grain bread is the great source of non-heme-iron, which is very important to combat iron-deficiency anemia. It also contains phytic acid that blocks the absorption of iron. As we know that, whole grain bread is made after fermenting the grains. Therefore, phytic acid is significantly lowered due to the fermenting process of grains. Other whole grain products such as cereal and rice are also effective to combat anemia. Whole grain bread is enriched in some nutrients like vitamins, proteins and healthy fats that help your body to fight against different diseases
- A slice of whole grain bread provides 6% of the daily requirement of iron in the body, so replace your white bread with whole grain bread.
- Take two or three slices of whole grain bread every day increase the iron level in your body.
1. Parsley
It is also known as rock celery. Parsley is the good source of iron and folic acid. 100 grams of parsley contain 5.5mg of iron.
- Make sure that you are taking enough amount of parsley in your diet.
- Use parsley in salad and sandwich as well.
Do’s
- You should use those foods which are favorable for your health if you have a deficiency of the iron next use iron-rich foods if you have a deficiency of vitamins, subsequently use vitamin-rich foods.
Do Not’s
- Be careful in choosing a remedy to treat anemia.
- Avoid using remedies and medication both at a same time to treat anemia.
- Avoid junk food and smoking.
