Anemia is a condition in which your red blood cell count is lower than normal. Although there are several types of anemia, iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common. When you do get enough iron in the foods you eat, you put yourself at risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia.
Prevention
To prevent iron-deficiency anemia, it is important to meet your iron needs through the foods you eat. Women over 18 need 18 mg daily and men over 18 require 8 mg per day. Children between 1 and 3 need 7 mg per day, while children between 4 and 8 require 10 mg daily. Adolescents between the ages of 9 and 13 need 8 mg of iron per day. Between the ages of 14 and 18, a female's iron needs increase to 15 mg and a male's iron needs increase to 11 mg.
Types of Iron
There are two types of iron available in foods -- heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron, which is found in foods from animal sources, is more readily absorbed by your body. Your body does not absorb nonheme iron, which is found in plant foods, as easily. "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake notes that you only absorb about 10 to 15 percent of the nonheme iron you eat. If you rely on nonheme iron as your primary iron source, you are more likely to develop iron-deficiency anemia, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Sources of heme iron include beef, poultry, salmon, tuna, liver, eggs and oysters. Nonheme iron is in beans, lentils, dried fruits, whole grains, broccoli, soybeans, tofu and iron-fortified cereals.
Increasing Iron Absorption
Several dietary factors help increase the amount of nonheme iron your body absorbs. If you have iron-deficiency anemia, focus on increasing iron absorption from your foods. Eating a good source of vitamin C, such as oranges, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries or grapefruit, with a nonheme iron source changes the configuration of the nonheme iron, making it easier for your body to absorb. Just 25 mg of vitamin C can double absorption and 50 mg can increase absorption rate sixfold, according to "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake.
Eating a nonheme iron source with a source of heme iron also increases the rate of absorption, as does cooking a nonheme iron source in an iron skillet.
Considerations
Several factors decrease the amount of nonheme iron your body is able to absorb. Drinking large amounts of coffee or tea can inhibit absorption because the caffeinated beverages contain substances called polyphenols, which bind to iron. Phytates in fiber-rich foods can also decrease absorption rate, as does a high intake of calcium.
