Eat this one superfood to fight iron deficiency
As per the data from the year 2017, 50 per cent of Indian women are anemic. Iron deficiency, also called anemia is caused by the lack of iron in your blood. The deficiency can be easily treated by including more iron in your diet or by having iron supplements. But it’s always best to get your vitamins and minerals from your regular diet and not depend on supplements.
What is anemia?
It is a condition where a person has lower than normal number of red blood cells, which reduces the capacity of their blood to carry oxygen. This can lead to several health problems and even death.
Ideal daily iron intake
As per the NHS (National Health Service), adult men need around 8.7 mg of iron every day, while adult women need 14.8 mg. But the value drops to 8.7 mg for women over the age of 50.
This is because women over the age of 50 do not have their periods anymore and thus don’t lose blood in the process.
Symptoms of iron deficiency
- Not feeling energetic
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations
- Pale skin
Treating anemia can put you at risk of various infections and illnesses. This is because lack of iron hampers your immune system. You are more prone to developing heart and lung complication if you have an iron deficiency.
Fight anemia with this one superfood
There are certain foods that you should avoid and certain foods that you should have in order to boost the iron level of your body.
The superfood
Do you want to take a guess? Kale it is. Kale is often labelled as a superfood because it has a very high nutritional value. According to the NHS kale and other dark green leafy vegetables have a high iron content and can help reverse the iron deficiency in your body.
100 grams of curly kale has 1.5 mg of iron.
Other iron-rich foods
Cereals, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and grains are some other example of iron-rich foods. In addition to this, meat and liver contain a lot of iron too. Though the NHS advises avoiding having liver when pregnant.
What not to eat when you have an iron deficiency?
If you are diagnosed with low levels of iron cut back on tea, coffee, milk and dairy. You should not eat food that has high levels of phytic acid – such as wholegrain cereals. This is because a large quantity of phytic acid in your body can make it harder for you to absorb iron.
What is anemia?
It is a condition where a person has lower than normal number of red blood cells, which reduces the capacity of their blood to carry oxygen. This can lead to several health problems and even death.
Ideal daily iron intake
As per the NHS (National Health Service), adult men need around 8.7 mg of iron every day, while adult women need 14.8 mg. But the value drops to 8.7 mg for women over the age of 50.
This is because women over the age of 50 do not have their periods anymore and thus don’t lose blood in the process.
Symptoms of iron deficiency
- Not feeling energetic
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations
- Pale skin
Treating anemia can put you at risk of various infections and illnesses. This is because lack of iron hampers your immune system. You are more prone to developing heart and lung complication if you have an iron deficiency.
Fight anemia with this one superfood
There are certain foods that you should avoid and certain foods that you should have in order to boost the iron level of your body.
The superfood
Do you want to take a guess? Kale it is. Kale is often labelled as a superfood because it has a very high nutritional value. According to the NHS kale and other dark green leafy vegetables have a high iron content and can help reverse the iron deficiency in your body.
100 grams of curly kale has 1.5 mg of iron.
Other iron-rich foods
Cereals, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and grains are some other example of iron-rich foods. In addition to this, meat and liver contain a lot of iron too. Though the NHS advises avoiding having liver when pregnant.
What not to eat when you have an iron deficiency?
If you are diagnosed with low levels of iron cut back on tea, coffee, milk and dairy. You should not eat food that has high levels of phytic acid – such as wholegrain cereals. This is because a large quantity of phytic acid in your body can make it harder for you to absorb iron.