4 Ways to Add More Fruits and Veggies for Vitamin Deficiency Anemia

1. Become Iron Man

People who have vitamin deficiency anemia often don't get enough folic acid. Adults need about 400 micrograms of folic acid each day. You can get folic acid from leafy vegetables that are dark green and from fruit. Juices are a good source, too. You may need to take folic acid supplements.

2. Fruit Tricks

You'll want to add lots of fruit to your nutrition plan to combat vitamin deficiency anemia. Use easy tricks to incorporate more fruits, a good source of Vitamin C, into your daily diet. Slice strawberries and bananas on top of breakfast pancakes and waffles. Add fruit to cereal. Keep some dried fruit in your car for a quick snack. Frozen grapes make a delicious hot weather snack. Keep a platter of fresh fruit on your kitchen counter for easy grab-and-go treats. Some people complain fresh fruit is too expensive, but if you eat fruit with the seasons, you'll save cash. Seasonal fruit will taste better, too. Shop your grocery store's salad bar, where you can find fruit already sliced. You'll pay per pound, which frequently can be cheaper than buying it whole. Plus, you'll get exactly the amount you want, and there's less chance of spoilage.

3. Sneaky Veggies

Sneak vegetables into your diet. Add diced peppers, mushrooms and onion to an omelette and as toppings for pizza. Stir peas into a casserole. Eat homemade or canned vegetable soup, loaded with your favorite veggies. Eat a salad with your dinner every night, and just like fruit, buy the vegetables already cut and washed from your grocery store salad bar. Add pureed veggies to soups and stews. And stock up on frozen veggies. You can cook them quickly in the microwave, and, unlike canned, frozen vegetables retain many of their nutrients.

4. Less Than You Think

Get five to seven servings of fruits and veggies every day. Sounds like too much? A serving is probably not as large as you think. Just half of a cup of cut-up fruit is a serving. So if one cup of a leafy vegetable. Make fruits and vegetables a priority. Get all your servings first before rewarding yourself with a yummy, but not so healthy dessert. You'll be so full from all those healthy foods that you can't eat much of the dessert. You can also talk to your doctor about taking vitamin supplements for anemia.