To combat anemia, foods rich in protein, iron, folic acid and B vitamins, such as meat, eggs, fish and spinach, should be consumed. These nutrients stimulate the production of red blood cells in the blood, which are usually low when you have anemia.
Another important tip is to consume a food rich in vitamin C after lunch and dinner, such as orange or pineapple, as this vitamin increases the absorption of iron in the intestine, helping to fight the disease.
If you have anemia watch the video to find out how your diet should be:
Food to fight anemia
To combat anemia, foods rich in the following nutrients should be consumed:
Iron
Especially important in cases of iron deficiency anemia, iron stimulates the production of good formation of red blood cells in the blood. The iron best absorbed by the intestine is what is present in foods of animal origin, such as meat, chicken, fish, liver, eggs and seafood.
In vegetables, iron is present in beans, soybeans, lentils, peanuts, beets and dark green leaves, such as spinach and kale. See the full list of Iron rich foods.
Folic acid
Folic acid is responsible for stimulating the production of blood cells and the proper formation of hemoglobin, a substance responsible for carrying oxygen inside red blood cells. It is present in foods such as spinach, kale, liver, wheat germ and eggs.
B12 vitamin
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia, and can be prevented by increasing the consumption of foods such as liver, heart, meat, eggs, milk and dairy products.
What not to eat in anemia
During treatment for anemia, you should avoid consuming foods rich in calcium together with meals rich in iron, as calcium decreases the absorption of iron in the intestine. Thus, it is important to avoid the consumption of milk and dairy products mainly at lunch and dinner, when meat and other iron-rich foods are normally eaten.
In addition, you should also avoid drinking coffee, black tea and mate tea in the same meal rich in iron, as they are rich in phytates and tannins, substances that also reduce the absorption of iron in the intestine. See 3 more tips to cure anemia.
Menu for anemia
The following table shows an example of a 3-day diet menu to fight anemia:
| Meal | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Breakfast |
Orange juice + bread with scrambled eggs |
Banana smoothie with avocado and honey | 1 plain yogurt + granola and almonds or nuts |
| Morning snack | 1 apple + 10 peanuts | 10 cashew nuts | Beet juice with orange and nuts |
| Lunch dinner |
Grilled meat with rice, beans and lettuce salad, carrots and peppers and dessert strawberries |
Oven-baked fish and potatoes + sauteed kale salad in olive oil + 1 orange dessert | Liver steak with rice and beans + green salad with grated beets + lemon juice |
|
Afternoon snack |
Avocado smoothie | Lemon juice + egg and cheese sandwich | Tangerine juice + 2 scrambled eggs with tomato and oregano |
In addition to food, it is important to see your doctor for tests and find out what is the cause of the anemia and, if necessary, take medication and supplements to help with treatment. See 4 recipes to cure anemia.
