Can Anemia Be Prevented? What Should Be Consumed?

Iron deficiency anemia is becoming increasingly common in Turkey. Anaemia particularly occurs frequently in children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Specialist Dietitian Nur Aydın noted that proper nutrition is important for preventing anaemia. Iron deficiency-related anaemia in children slows growth, negatively affects intellectual development and increases the risk of infection. For this reason, treatment of anaemia is very important. Proper nutritional selection also plays a significant role in anaemia treatment. In addition to iron-rich foods, plenty of greens should be preferred at each meal, iron-rich spinach should be cooked with eggs, and calcium-rich foods should be consumed at snacks.

Foods to be consumed

Liver, red meat, chicken and fish Eggs Grapes and molasses Dried legumes Dried fruits such as dried apricots, raisins and dried mulberries Leafy green vegetables (spinach, chard) Hazelnuts, pistachios and sesame

Cook legumes with meat, consume eggs with orange juice!

An important way to increase iron absorption is to consume these foods together with vitamin C. Plenty of lemon-dressed greens at each meal and a mixed salad made from these greens increase iron absorption. When consuming eggs, choosing freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice alongside increases iron absorption from the egg. Instead of boiled eggs, sometimes cooking them as menemen and adding vitamin C with green pepper, red pepper, tomato and onion increases iron intake. When spinach is consumed with yogurt, iron absorption decreases. Cooking spinach with eggs increases its bioavailability. Dried legume and grain dishes should be consumed with plenty of parsley, lettuce, tomato and lemon salad, so that iron in grains and legumes is absorbed more. Additionally, when these foods are cooked with ground meat, pieces of meat or chicken, iron intake increases. People with advanced iron deficiency should consume calcium-containing foods such as milk, yogurt and buttermilk as snacks rather than with meals. This is because calcium slows iron absorption. At breakfast, 1-2 teaspoons of molasses meet most of the daily iron requirement. Particularly carob molasses contains high iron content. At snacks, dried apricots, mulberries and raisins contribute to daily iron intake.

Do not consume tea and coffee with meals

Tea and coffee should be consumed at snacks. In particular, phytates and tannins found in tea should not reduce iron absorption, so it is beneficial to drink tea brewed light and with lemon juice squeezed in.