An anemic person does not have enough iron in their blood. Iron is a mineral responsible for transporting oxygen throughout your body. Without enough iron, you will feel tired, have difficulty working and a weakened immune system. You can improve your anemia by including foods high in iron in your diet.
Iron Needs
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional disorder in the world, according to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements. Women and children are most at risk. Children need 7 to 11 mg of iron a day, and women between the ages of 19 and 50 need 18 mg of iron a day. Women of childbearing age have higher iron needs because of their blood loss through menstruation. Adult men and women over the age of 51 need 8 mg of iron a day.
Types of Food Iron
There are two types of iron: Heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron comes from hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen throughout your body. Heme iron is primarily found in animal foods and easily absorbed. Nonheme iron is found primarily in plant foods and foods fortified with iron. Nonheme iron is not as readily absorbed as heme iron. Including foods rich in vitamin C can enhance the absorption of nonheme iron.
Heme Iron
Try to include at least one serving of heme iron in your diet each day if you are anemic. Foods considered excellent sources of heme iron include oysters, clams, liver and mussels. A 3 oz. serving of oysters contains the highest amount of heme iron with 13.2 mg. Beef liver is also very high in iron with 7.5 mg per 3 oz. serving. Good sources of heme iron include beef, turkey, shrimp and sardines. A 3 oz. portion of ground beef contains 3.0 mg of iron, and a 3 oz. portion of shrimp contains 2.6 mg of iron.
Nonheme Iron
Excellent food sources of nonheme iron for anemics include fortified breakfast cereals, beans, lentils and blackstrap molasses. A 1 cup serving of bran flakes contains 5.6 mg of iron and a 1/2 cup portion of cooked chickpeas contains 3.0 mg of iron. Good food sources of nonheme iron include potato with the skin, fortified bread, tofu, spinach and canned asparagus. A 1/2 cup serving of a sweet potato contains 1.0 mg of iron and one slice of fortified bread contains 0.9 mg of iron. Food sources of vitamin C that will enhance nonheme iron absorption include orange juice, oranges, kiwis, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and broccoli.
