Anaemia is a lack of iron stores. You may wonder why iron is needed. You’ve heard everyone going on and on about it but what’s the hub-bub about? At Obgyn Durban we aim to keep you healthy and that is why we look at some anemia treatment foods in this blog.
Iron is an essential mineral your body needs to function properly, Healthline succinctly tells us. It forms part of the oxygen storage in a plant, and it transports oxygen. The storing and distribution of oxygen is quite important, yes? So best you get it into your diet, every day. The challenge is that it’s not as easy as throwing iron-rich food onto your plate. Other foods help and hinder how much iron you can extract from your food. We can hear you sighing, yes, so let us help you unriddle this for you.
Your Obgyn Encourages Iron-ing Yourself Strong
First bit of info: there are two types of iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is the best source as up to 40% is easily absorbed by your body and it is sourced from different meats. Good news for vegetarians and vegans is that non-heme iron is available from plant sources, grains and vegetables. You will be surprised to learn that almost your total consumption of iron comes from non-heme iron. The challenge here is that it is harder to absorb. Yup, it couldn’t just be that easy hey? This is possibly why anaemia is so common.
The Iron Mines
So enough waffling (yes waffles contain traces of iron as they are a grain and might have dairy on them but we’re not saying eat 100 waffles now ladies!). What anemia treatment foods do you need to consume?
Meats: Red meat, oily fish and poultry.
Grains: Some cereals (check the boxes), rice (brown is significantly better than white), wheat and oats.
Vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables: broccoli, kale, collard greens, dandelion greens. Why no spinach you may ask? Spinach and Swiss chard are misrepresented to the market as good sources of iron. They are high in iron, yes, but they are also very high in oxalates which binds the iron and hinders absorption. Yup, sneaky one that. Parsley gives you 34% of your daily recommended iron per 100gm versus spinach at 20% per 100gm so sprinkle parsley on your stews (after cooking when on the plate), on your soups, sandwiches and crudités. It is a power house plant.
Fruits: Dried fruits like raisins and apricots
Pulses and seeds: Large white beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Pumpkin, Sesame and Flax seeds (add to cereals, muesli and yoghurt, salads or smoothies). Chia seeds may hinder the absorption of iron due to the phytic acid content.
Mushrooms: And mushrooms, yay! The winning mushroom is Morels if you can obtain them from a specialist supplier. They will give you 45% of your daily iron intake in one cup. The humble Chanterelle will also help you along, giving you 10% of your daily intake in one cup.
For More Wellness Tips, Contact Your Obstetrician in Pinetown
The main key is to have balance and moderation in your healthy eating plan, that will benefit your overall wellness.
