To cure anemia, a diet rich in iron must be eaten, which must have meat, liver and vegetables rich in this mineral. Anemia caused by iron deficiency is called iron deficiency anemia, and is common in people who are debilitated, growing children who do not have a balanced diet and in pregnant women.
The best iron for the body is what is present in foods of animal origin as it is absorbed in greater quantity by the intestine. In addition, foods rich in vitamin C like orange, kiwi and pineapple, help increase the absorption of iron in the body.
Foods rich in iron
Foods rich in iron are:
- Animal origin: liver, heart, meat and seafood.
- Vegetable origin: oats, whole rye flour, bread, coriander, beans, lentils, soy, sesame, linseed.
To increase the absorption of iron in the intestine, you should eat a fruit or fruit juice rich in vitamin C such as orange, mandarin, pineapple and lemon. See more in Foods rich in Iron and Food rich in Vitamin C.
Diet menu for anemia
The following table provides an example of a 3-day iron-rich diet menu to treat anemia.
| Meal | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Breakfast |
1 glass of milk with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed + whole wheat bread with butter | 180 ml natural yoghurt with whole morning cereal | 1 glass of milk with 1 tablespoon chocolates + 4 whole-grain toast with sugar-free fruit jelly |
| Morning snack | 1 apple + 4 biscuits Mary | 3 nuts + 3 whole-grain toast | 1 pear + 4 crackers salt and water |
| Lunch dinner |
130 g beef + 4 sour brown rice + 2 sour bean soup + 1 sesame soup + 1 orange | 120 g of liver steak + 4 sprigs of brown rice + salad with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed + 2 slices of pineapple | 130 g of chicken with liver and heart + 4 cabbage soup of rice + 2 cabbage of lentil + salad with 1 cabbage of sesame + cashew juice |
| Afternoon snack | 1 natural yogurt + whole wheat bread with turkey ham | 1 glass of milk + 4 whole-grain toast with ricotta | 1 natural yogurt + 1 whole wheat bread with butter |
It is important to remember that calcium-rich foods like milk, yogurt or cheese should not be consumed along with iron-rich foods because calcium makes it difficult for the body to absorb iron.
In the vegetarian diet, the best food sources of iron, which are foods of animal origin, are not consumed and hence the lack of iron can happen more often.
To treat anemia without consuming meats, see also:
- 3 tricks to enrich foods with iron
- What the vegetarian should eat to avoid anemia
- How to Improve Iron Absorption to Fight Anemia
