Mar 28, 2019
TIMES OF INDIA
If you are suffering from Anemia or other forms of iron deficiency having a balanced as well as nutrient-rich diet is essential for the body to perform vital functions. In this article, we will share some interesting meal ideas that will help in boosting the iron level in your body.
Causes of Anemia
Heavy menstruation
Lack of iron in the diet
A lack of folate or vitamin B-12 in diet
Bleeding inside the stomach and intestines can also lead to anemia. This type of bleeding is an effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or can even be a result of piles, ulcer, swelling in the oesophagus, swelling in the large intestine or certain types of cancer. However, with proper medical advice and dietary modification, this can be treated. On an average, the daily iron intake varies from individual to individual.
According to experts, the recommended daily iron intake for an average male adult between the age group 19-50 years should be 8 mg daily. However, for female adult it should be around 18 mg daily, during pregnancy 27 mg daily is required, to keep the fetus as well as the mother healthy. And for a growing child, the iron intake should be 7 mg daily, whereas for an infant of 6 months, the ideal iron intake should be somewhere around 0.27 mg daily. At every age and stage of life the ideal requirement of iron changes. Hence, eating the right amount of iron rich food becomes a necessity. Below is a diet plan that you can follow to increase your iron intake.
Food items that you can include in your meal to enrich your diet with iron
Seafood: Seafood like sardines, salmon, mussels and oysters are loaded with iron. These foods are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D along with the rich source of heme iron.
Vegetables: Spinach, asparagus, peas are a rich source of iron. Include them in your vegetable preparation to get the right iron content.
Millet: They are a great source of iron, including millet like bajra, samai in everyday meals help to curb iron deficiency.
Dried fruits and nuts: Almonds, raisins, cashew nuts, dried dates and apricots are some extremely rich sources of iron. You can consume these in the middle of your meals. But do not over-eat!
Spices and condiments: Our Indian spices and condiments are rich sources of non-heme iron. Add tamarind, mango powder, cumin seeds, and turmeric to your food to get a boost of iron to your diet.
Original post on Times of India
