To treat anemia it is necessary to increase the amount of hemoglobin in the bloodstream, which is a component of blood carrying oxygen. For this, it is important to increase the consumption of foods rich in iron and folic acid, as they help the body to produce more hemoglobin and red blood cells.
In this way, 3 simple tips that can cure anemia and which should be followed every day are:
1. Eat iron-rich foods at all meals
Foods rich in iron are mainly meats, chicken, egg, liver and some foods of plant origin, such as beets, parsley, beans and lentils. These foods should be included in all meals, and snacks such as sandwich or tapioca with egg, cheese or shredded chicken, for example.
In addition, cooking food in an iron pot helps increase the amount of iron in these foods. Here's how to improve iron absorption in: 3 tricks to enrich foods with iron.
2. Eating sour fruits at meals
The iron contained in foods of plant origin, such as beans and beets, is more difficult to be absorbed by the intestine, needing vitamin C to increase this rate of absorption by the body. Therefore, consuming sour fruits and fresh vegetables in meals, which are usually rich in vitamin C, helps fight anemia.
So good tips are to take lemon juice during meals or eat fruits like orange, pineapple or cashew as dessert, and make juices rich in iron and vitamin C, such as beet juice with carrots and oranges.
3. Avoid consumption of foods that impair the absorption of iron
Alcohol, coffee, chocolate and beer should be avoided as they impair the body's absorption of iron. In addition, calcium-rich foods like milk and dairy products also decrease iron absorption and should be avoided during main meals such as lunch and dinner.
These care should be followed throughout the treatment for anemia and does not exclude the need for the intake of the medicines prescribed by the doctor, but is a natural way to supplement and enrich the diet.
Foods to cure anemia
Foods to cure anemia should be rich in iron, as this is an essential element in the manufacture of hemoglobin in the blood. For this, it is necessary to eat the recommended amount of 8 mg daily for men and women over 50 years and 18 mg for women under 50 years.
There are many foods that can help achieve the recommended daily amount, some examples being:
| Food | Amount of iron in 100g | Food | Amount of iron in 100g |
| Meat, but mainly liver | 12 mg | Salsinha | 3.1 mg |
| Whole egg | 2 to 4 mg | Raisins | 1.9 mg |
| Barley bread | 6.5 mg | Acai | 11.8 mg |
| Black beans, chickpeas and raw soybeans | 8.6 mg; 1.4 mg; 8.8 mg | Prune | 3.5 mg |
| Fresh canned spinach, watercress and arugula | 3.08 mg; 2.6 mg; 1.5 mg | Fig in syrup | 5.2 mg |
| Oysters and mussels | 5.8 mg; 6.0 mg | Jenipapo dehydrated | 14.9 mg |
| Oat flakes | 4.5 mg | Jambu | 4.0 mg |
| Chestnuts | 5.0 mg | Raspberry in syrup | 4.1 mg |
| Rapadura | 4.2 mg | Avocado | 1.0 mg |
| Cocoa powder | 2.7 mg | Tofu | 6.5 mg |
See an example of a menu on How to Make a High Iron Food to Cure Anemia.
Watch the video and see other tips from our nutritionist to treat anemia:
