What to eat to supplement iron
Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27
Iron is the main substance for maintaining life, and it is also the most easily deficient essential trace element in humans.
Special populations prone to iron deficiency: pregnant women and babies.
After pregnancy, the blood volume of pregnant women will increase by nearly 50%. Iron is needed to produce more hemoglobin so that the baby and the placenta can be developed.
If the mother iron intake is insufficient, the baby born will be prone to iron deficiency anemia.
What foods are good for iron supplementation? 1. Cherries.
Research has found that cherries have a high iron content and are a good source of iron for supplementation.
Cherries are rich in iron and vitamin A, and consuming cherries can help prevent iron deficiency anemia.
Cherries also have the effect of beautifying and preserving youth, making skin redder, softer, and more radiant, and removing wrinkles and spots.
In addition, cherries can also relieve muscle soreness caused by prolonged computer use among computer workers.
Among fruits to help with iron deficiency, cherries are tops.
2. Peach.
The nutrition of peaches is easily absorbed when it is juiced and the teeth are protected from direct contact with peaches.
The juice made from mature peaches is light yellow in color, thick and rich in taste.
Moreover, peaches have a profound cleansing effect on the kidneys, aiding in diuresis and laxation, thereby promoting digestion.
In summary, drinking peach juice can not only replenish iron but also aid in detoxification. It is also an excellent choice among fruits rich in iron.
3. Pineapple.
Pineapple is rich in nutrients and contains various vitamins, among which the content of Vitamin C is the highest. It also has a high content of calcium, iron, phosphorus, etc. In traditional Chinese medicine, pineapple is considered to be sweet, neutral in nature, with the effect of strengthening the stomach, promoting digestion, nourishing the spleen, stopping diarrhea, clearing the stomach, quenching thirst, and more.
Moreover, fruits such as pears, oranges, grapefruits, pomelos, plums, dates and longan are also rich in iron.
How to choose iron products? Iron can be reused in the body.
Generally speaking, except for the loss of a certain amount due to intestinal secretion and skin, oral cavity, and urothelial epithelium shedding, there is almost no other way of losing substances.
Although iron is not easily lost, it is also not easily replenished.
Without it, it's hard to replenish.
Pay attention to the method, choose the right iron supplementation product for better results.
There are about 30 kinds of iron products allowed in the world, which can be divided into two categories according to their existence form in the human body: heme iron and non-heme iron.
Generally speaking, organic iron is less irritating to the stomach and intestines than inorganic iron, and heme iron is more easily absorbed than non-heme iron.
When using iron supplements, it is important to note: 1. Oral iron preparations are preferable for the administration of iron, with ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, and ferrous gluconate being particularly suitable because iron is absorbed in the form of divalent iron (ferrous), while it functions as trivalent iron (heavy) in its role.
The brand of iron supplements, such as Dain's right-handed sugar erythropoietin oral solution, has a good taste and is currently the best iron supplement.
2. For anemia, iron supplementation should adhere to the principle of "small amounts and prolonged intake."
Strictly follow medical advice and do not increase the medication dosage on your own, as this may lead to iron poisoning.
Absolutely must not administer a large dose at once, as it can lead to acute iron poisoning.
Typical symptoms of iron poisoning include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, shock, and even coma, convulsions, and death in severe cases.
3. Medication should be taken after meals to avoid inducing nausea and vomiting when taken on an empty stomach, as this can cause discomfort to the gastrointestinal tract.
Take vitamin C or fruit juice at the same time, because the acidic environment is conducive to the absorption of iron.
4. calcium-containing foods (such as tofu) and high-phosphate foods (such as milk), etc., can complex with iron to form precipitates, so use should be avoided.
5. After taking it for a few months, after the clinical symptoms improve and the hemoglobin becomes normal, the drug cannot be stopped immediately. You should also take it for another 3-6 months under the guidance of a doctor to replenish the stored iron in the body and prevent the recurrence of anemia.
Iron demand in special groups How much iron does the baby need for growth and development? Newborn babies can get enough iron from breast milk until they are 4-6 months old, but mothers at this time should also pay attention to continuing to consume some pre-pregnancy vitamins.
Babies who eat milk powder should be careful to choose some milk powder that strengthens iron supplementation.
6-12 Months old babies need 11 mg of iron every day, so babies before the age of one should add supplements such as rice paste or milk powder to strengthen iron in addition to breast milk.
1-12 Children as young as 5 years old need 7-10 mg of iron per day.
Adolescent boys should consume 11 milligrams of iron a day, while girls need 15 milligrams of iron to prepare for and supplement the start of puberty's menstruation.
The standard of iron supplementation for pregnant women is approximately 1000 mg per day, which is about 15% to 20% greater than that of non-pregnant women. This includes 400-500 mg for the fetus, 60-100 mg for the placenta, 40-50 mg for the uterus, and an additional 400-500 mg for the increased hemoglobin during pregnancy. Additionally, it is estimated that a woman will lose up to 100-200 mg during childbirth due to blood loss.
1. When taking iron supplements, be mindful of the balanced intake of animal and plant-based irons. Iron is divided into two types: heme iron found in animal foods and non-heme iron found in plants.
Non-haem iron is not easily digestible, but if it can be taken with animal proteins containing digestive enzymes it can increase its absorption rate.
2. Iron cannot be stored, so it is best to pay attention to iron supplementation in every meal throughout the day. The amount of iron absorbed by the body per day is fixed.
Even if you consume a large amount of iron in one go, only a portion can be absorbed by the body and the rest will be excreted through the feces. Therefore, it is important to maintain a balanced diet that includes iron throughout the day.
3. When supplementing iron, it is also important to ensure adequate intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C can reduce the insoluble ferrous iron in food to its soluble form, making it easier for absorption. Therefore, consuming foods rich in vitamin C or taking appropriate amounts of vitamin C supplements can enhance the absorption and utilization of iron.
However, consuming an excessive amount of Vitamin C (≥500mg) may increase the excretion of its metabolite, oxalate, which can increase the risk of forming urinary calculi. Therefore, for expectant mothers, the best source of Vitamin C remains fresh vegetables and fruits.
Drinking tea with coffee may reduce the absorption of iron. Teas and coffee contain tannic acid which inhibits the absorption of iron. Therefore, it is advisable not to drink tea within one hour after a meal to avoid the effect on the absorption of iron in food.
If you want to have tea, you can choose the tea of barley or safe flower tea, which are basically free from tannic acid.
Consuming foods rich in folic acid can aid in the treatment of anemia, as folate, with its hematopoietic function (mainly stored in yellow and green vegetables and fruits), is an effective nutrient for treating anemia.
What are the symptoms of iron deficiency? 1. Uneven, crinkled, and ridged nails; glossitis; splitting of the corners of the mouth; easy hair loss; dry skin.
Women who experience increased heart rate during exercise may develop severe anemia, which can lead to congestive heart failure and even edema.
2. Frequently suffer from tinnitus, frequent dizziness, easy to feel gasping when exercising, palpitations, and even fainting. Even slight activity leads to feelings of breathlessness and palpitations.
Women with iron deficiency anemia may also experience menstrual irregularities, such as amenorrhea and abnormal menstruation, along with symptoms of cold intolerance.
3. The patient presents with a poor complexion, appearing pale or waxy yellow. They experience insomnia and frequent dreams, feeling weak and fatigued, have decreased appetite, abdominal distension and diarrhea, and have severe difficulty swallowing.
Studies have found that babies with iron deficiency often appear serious, rarely smile.
Iron deficiency can affect the early intelligence development of infants, especially attention and short-term memory.
Severe iron deficiency can lead to irritability and anger, as well as a decrease in cognitive function.
Clinical cases have confirmed that before laboratory abnormalities in anemia are detected, children exhibit symptoms such as irritability and a lack of interest in their surroundings.
Some children may exhibit signs such as mental lethargy, lack of activity, reduced appetite, weight gain failure, and pallor in the skin and mucous membranes.
Sometimes children will tell you they are tired.
At the same time, it is not uncommon for children to have inconcentration, reduced understanding, and slow reactions when learning.
Even some children exhibit what is called "pica," a peculiar habit of eating unusual things such as bark, sand, newspapers, raw rice and flour.
* The medical content mentioned in this text is for reference only.
In case of discomfort, it is advised to seek medical attention immediately. The diagnosis and treatment should be based on a consultation with a professional in person.