Foods High in Iron for Anemia

Anemia is a medical condition which is characterized by the dearth of healthy red blood cells, required to transport adequate oxygen to the body tissues. Anemia which occurs due to a deficiency of iron in the body is one of the types of anemia. So, for treating this kind, patients are prescribed iron supplements. These supplements when taken in conjunction with the iron rich foods, prove beneficial and help in increasing the effectiveness of the supplements.

List of Foods Rich In Iron

• Almonds
• Apricot
• Asparagus
• Baked potato with skin
• Barley
• Beef
• Beef liver
• Beet greens
• Beet root
• Blackstrap molasses
• Bok choy
• Bread
• Breakfast cereals
• Broccoli
• Canned asparagus
• Canned beans
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cashews
• Chicken liver
• Clams
• Cooked beans and lentils
• Corn
• Dates
• Egg
• Enriched pasta
• Figs
• Grapefruit
• Green beans
• Green peas
• Mussels
• Orange
• Orange juice
• Oysters
• Peas
• Pork liver
• Prune juice
• Pumpkin
• Pumpkin seeds
• Raisins
• Sardines
• Sea vegetables
• Shrimp
• Soya
• Spinach
• Sprouts
• Strawberries
• Sweet potatoes
• Swiss chard
• Tofu
• Tomato
• Tomato juice
• Tuna
• Turkey
• Turnip greens
• Watermelon

Some Facts on Iron

Iron is required by the body for the formation of hemoglobin, and certain important enzymes. It is also required for various proteins and enzymes which are a must for the maintenance of overall health. As mentioned above, iron is responsible for the transportation of oxygen in the blood to all parts of the body and also for immune activity. To add to this, there are several kinds of metabolic reactions which depend on the availability of iron in the body and so are regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Equally important is to know that for the body to ensure that the liver functions in the way it should, it must have the adequate stocks of iron in it. Free radicals can take the body through a tough time if not managed. Iron does that for the body.

After this short data on the importance of iron, why not conclude this article by a quick look at the symptoms and signs of anemia.

Fatigue is the classic symptom of anemia and when it is accompanied by pale skin, shortness of breath and chest pain, it becomes a sure indication that the person may be suffering from iron deficiency. Irregular or rapid heartbeat, dizziness, headache, accompanied by cognitive problems and cold hands and feet are the other symptoms which show up gradually over time.

And that would be all for the list of foods rich in iron, and a few facts about the mineral iron itself. To conclude, the problem with anemia is that initially, it is so mild that it goes unnoticed very easily. And when the symptoms show up, it means that the condition has reached a pretty critical stage. So preventing such conditions by having a nutritious diet is the key.