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Anemia and DietGIS2022-06-23T11:45:40-07:00 Nutrition-related anemia can occur due to the inadequate intake and malabsorption of certain vitamins and minerals, including iron, vitamin B12, folate, and copper. The most common form of nutrition-related anemia is iron-deficiency anemia, particularly among women of child-bearing age, vegans and vegetarians, and people with
malabsorption (e.g., gastric surgery, short bowel syndrome, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel
disease flare, long-term use of PPIs, alcoholism). Vegetarians and vegans need 1.8 times more iron than non-vegetarians because our bodies cannot absorb the plant-based form of iron (non-heme iron) as well as it absorbs the animal form of iron (heme iron). This can make eating enough iron a challenge, so you might need to supplement. Keep reading for practical strategies to help improve intake and absorption of iron and other nutrients that can cause anemia. Daily
recommended intakes (DRIs)
Demographic
| Iron (Non-vegetarian)
| Iron (Vegetarian/vegan*)
| Male 19+
| 8 mg/day
| 14 mg/day
| Female 19-50
| 18 mg/day
| 32 mg/day
| Female 51+
| 8 mg/day
| 14 mg/day
| Female (pregnant)
| 27 mg/day
| 49 mg/day
|
*Vegetarians and vegans need 1.8X more iron due to the decreased bioavailability of non-heme iron.
Demographic
| Vitamin B12
| Male 14+
| 2.4 µg/day
| Female 14+
| 2.4 µg/day
| Female (pregnant)
| 2.6 µg/day
|
Demographic
| Folate
| Male 14+
| 400 µg/day
| Female 14+
| 400 µg/day
| Female (pregnant)
| 600 µg/day
|
Four Practical Strategies for Iron Deficiency Anemia- Vitamin C: Add foods high in vitamin C to iron-rich meals and snacks to increase your body’s absorption of iron (e.g., try tomato sauce with lentils and/or ground meat, enjoy a chili made with meat and kidney beans, squeeze lemon juice on top of fish or chicken, add bell peppers to a stir-fry made with tofu or shrimp).
- Eat an iron-rich food at each meal and snack
(see below): This could include eggs or fortified cereal for breakfast, dried fruit and nuts for a snack, chicken or lentils for lunch, and meat or a tempeh stir-fry with peanut sauce for dinner. Talk to a registered dietitian for individualized tips on how to eat more iron and learn how to fit it into your lifestyle.
- Avoid coffee and tea with meals: These decrease your body’s ability to absorb iron. Space coffee and tea one hour before or after meals to
optimize iron absorption.
- Consider using a cast-iron pan: Try this when cooking to gradually increase your iron intake.
Food Sources of IronHeme - red meat, fish, and poultry (chicken, turkey); liver is especially high in iron
- seafood: clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, canned sardines, canned shrimp
- egg yolk
Non-Heme - blackstrap molasses
- dried fruit: figs,
apricots, dates, etc.
- nuts and seeds: pumpkin, sunflower, nut butter, etc.
- whole grains: teff, amaranth, sorghum, buckwheat, cornmeal
- legumes: lentils, white beans, kidney beans, lima beans, baked beans, etc.
- fortified cereals (hot and cold)
- tofu, tempeh, edamame, and soybeans
- vegetables: spinach, broccoli, green peas
Food Sources of Vitamin B12- meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and eggs
- milk and dairy products
- fortified
cereals
- nutritional yeast
Food Sources of Folate- dark green vegetables: spinach, kale, arugula, Swiss chard, broccoli, etc.
- legumes: chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, etc.
- fortified cereals and flours: bread, bagels, enriched pasta, or egg noodles
- yeast extract spread, such as Vegemite or Marmite®
Anne-Marie Stelluti, RD Anne-Marie Stelluti is a registered dietitian and
business owner of Modern Gut Health, a private practice with special focus in digestive health nutrition.Photo: canva.com• British Columbia Ministry of Health. Iron deficiency – diagnosis and management page. Available at
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/iron-deficiency. Accessed 2022-03-4. • Health Canada. Dietary reference intake tables page. Available at
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/dietary-reference-intakes/tables.html. Accessed 2022-03-4. • UpToDate®. Diagnostic approach to anemia in adults page. Available at https://www.uptodate.com. Accessed 2022-03-04. • PEN®. Food sources of Vitamin
B12 page. Available at https://www.pennutrition.com. Accessed 2022-03-04. • PEN®. Food sources of Folate page. Available at https://www.pennutrition.com. Accessed 2022-03-04. Page load link |