There are various causes of anemia, ranging from iron deficiency to genetic (hereditary) problems. When diagnosed with anemia, the process of delivering oxygen and nutrients to all cells and tissues of the body is disrupted. There are various complaints, such as easily tired, dizzy, to pale skin. In general, some blood-boosting foods can help treat anemia. What are the good foods for blood booster and abstinence?
Blood-boosting food sources for anemia
The body needs adequate amounts of certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients in order to continue to produce healthy red blood cells.
Eating nutritious foods can also help you avoid anemia and complications that may arise from anemia.
Here are some types of foods that are useful for increasing blood for anemic people.
1. Foods high in iron
Foods high in iron are important as blood boosters for anemia. Iron helps the production of hemoglobin which is needed by red blood cells.
You can get blood-boosting foods with the most nutrient intake from animal sources, such as:
- Red meat
- Poultry, like chicken
- Offal, like beef liver
- Seafood, such as oysters and fish
Iron from animal foods can be absorbed by the body as much as 70 percent.
In addition to animal sources, you can also get additional iron from plant sources, such as dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and mustard greens.
2. Foods rich in copper (copper)
Foods that contain copper minerals are one of the important intakes for blood boosters.
Copper mineral serves to help the body increase the production of red blood cells. When levels are low, the body absorbs small amounts of iron. As a result, the production of hemoglobin in red blood cells is reduced. You also have iron deficiency anemia.
Blood-boosting foods that are high in copper minerals for anemic people can be obtained from:
- Whole Grain
- Nuts
- Poultry like chicken and duck
- Seafood like shrimp and crab
- Cherries and chocolate
3. Foods high in folic acid
Folic acid or vitamin B9 is a nutrient that can help increase the number of red blood cells in the body. For this reason, people with anemia must eat foods that contain high folic acid, such as:
- Peas
- Red beans
- Mung beans
- Offal, like heart
- Green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli
Try not to overcook foods that contain folic acid. Steam, stir-fry, or microwave vegetables to prevent too much folic acid from being lost.
4. Foods rich in vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 can improve bone marrow function to produce more normal red blood cells. If you are deficient in vitamin B12, the shape of the red blood cells you produce can be abnormal; tend to be oval and not round flat. Red blood cells that are not fully developed also die more quickly.
Well, people who have anemia can make foods high in vitamin B12 as blood boosters, such as:
- Offal, like beef liver
- Fish
- Red meat
- Egg
- Milk and its processed products
- Cereals
Make sure you eat meat two to three times a week to treat anemia.
Vitamin B12 is rarely found in vegetables or fruits. Those of you who have a vegetarian diet are more at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency.
If you are vegetarian, try to eat vegetarian foods fortified with vitamin B12 at least three times a day. You may also be able to take 10 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day or as directed by your doctor.
5. Foods contain vitamin B6
Similar to vitamin B12, vitamin B6 can also help the formation of red blood cells. Blood-boosting foods that are high in B6 content include:
- Rice
- Wheat
- Cereals and nuts
- Beef, goat, lamb and chicken
6. Foods high in vitamin A
Vitamin A deficiency can generally trigger symptoms of anemia. The relationship between vitamin A and anemia is not clear. But certainly, vitamin A deficiency can prevent the body from producing healthy red blood cells.
Lack of vitamin A in the body is also at risk of causing the absorption of iron to be imperfect. This will affect the production of red blood cells.
Some blood-boosting foods for anemia are high in vitamin B6, namely:
- Cow's milk and its processed products, including whole milk
- Chicken eggs
- Beef or chicken liver
- Brightly colored vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.
7. Foods contain vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the important nutrients for those of you who have anemia. Vitamin C helps the process of iron absorption in the body.
Increased iron in the blood can help the bone marrow to produce more healthy red blood cells that contain hemoglobin.
You can get blood-boosting foods that contain vitamin C from:
- Orange
- Paprika
- Strawberry
- Tomatoes
- Lentil
8. Foods contain vitamin E
Although very rare, cases of vitamin E deficiency in fact can also increase the risk of hemolytic anemia. Hemolytic anemia is a type of anemia that occurs when red blood cells become fragile and die more quickly.
Vitamin E has an important function to protect red blood cell membranes from oxidative damage (due to free radicals). To prevent anemia, you can eat foods that contain vitamin E, such as:
- Vegetable oils, such as wheat germ oil, peanut oil, and olive oil
- Nuts
- Grains
- Milk
- Vegetables like spinach and red peppers
- Avocado
10 Types of Delicious Foods Rich in Vitamin E
Are there dietary restrictions for anemic people?
In addition to increasing the intake of blood-boosting foods that are high in nutrients, anemic people must be more observant to avoid certain foods. The reason is, certain foods or drinks can interfere with the absorption of nutrients that are important for the production of red blood cells.
The following are dietary restrictions that anemia patients should know.
1. Foods that contain tannins
Tannins are naturally occurring substances found in many plant food sources, such as black and green tea, coffee, grapes, sorghum, and corn.
Drinking coffee is known to cause inhibition of iron absorption. A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that one cup of coffee can reduce iron absorption by 39 percent.
Other studies have also shown that drinking a packet of instant coffee can reduce iron absorption by 60-90 percent. If you have anemia, as much as possible avoid foods and drinks that contain tannins.
2. Foods that contain gluten
For those of you who have anemia and Celiac disease at the same time, avoid eating foods that contain gluten. For people with Celiac disease, gluten can damage the lining of the intestinal wall, preventing nutrients such as folate and iron from being absorbed by the body. Gluten is commonly found in rye.
3. Foods that contain phytate
Phytic acid or phytic acid is a substance found in high-fiber foods, such as brown rice. Phytates have properties that inhibit the absorption of iron.
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, just 5-10 mg of phytate can inhibit iron absorption by up to 50 percent. So you should avoid foods containing phytate to prevent this to prevent anemia symptoms from getting worse.
Some examples of high-phytate foods include almonds, whole grains, sunflower seeds, and certain nuts, such as soybeans.
Food sources high in phytate can increase the risk of iron and zinc deficiency. However, you can work around this by soaking the beans or oats for a while and roasting them before processing them.
Or you can eat these foods along with blood-boosting foods such as meat or those high in vitamin C.
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