Iron Deficiency Anemia

The right diet is the key to managing many diseases and to improving general quality of life. For this condition, scientific research has found benefit in the following healthy eating tips.

• High-Fiber Diet

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  High-fiber foods can reduce iron absorption, so avoid taking iron supplements during mealtime if the food is high in fiber.

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  High-Fiber Diet

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  Fiber is another dietary component that can reduce the absorption of iron from foods. Foods high in bran fiber can reduce the absorption of iron from foods consumed at the same meal by half.⁸ Therefore, it makes sense for people needing to take iron supplements to avoid doing so at mealtime if the meal contains significant amounts of fiber.

• Vegetarian Diet and Iron

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  Vegetarians are more likely to have reduced iron stores, so increase your intake by emphasizing iron-containing foods.

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  Vegetarian Diet and Iron

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  Vegetarians eat less iron than non-vegetarians, and the iron they eat is somewhat less absorbable. As a result, vegetarians are more likely to have reduced iron stores.⁹ Vegetarians can increase their iron intake by emphasizing iron-containing foods within their diet (see above), or in some cases by supplementing iron, if needed.

• Coffee and Black Tea

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  Drinking coffee or tea with iron supplements inhibits absorption.

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  Coffee and Black Tea

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  Coffee interferes with the absorption of iron.¹⁰ However, moderate intake of coffee (4 cups per day) may not adversely affect risk of iron-deficiency anemia when the diet contains adequate amounts of iron and vitamin C.¹¹ Black tea contains tannins that strongly inhibit the absorption of non-heme iron. In fact, this iron-blocking effect is so effective that drinking black tea can help treat hemochromatosis, a disease of iron overload.¹² Consequently, people who are iron deficient should avoid drinking tea.

• Iron

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  To add iron to your diet, eat meat, poultry, and fish, dried fruit, molasses, leafy green vegetables, and wine, and cook acidic foods in an iron pan.

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  Iron

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  Iron deficiency is not usually caused by a lack of dietary iron alone. Nonetheless, a lack of iron in the diet is often part of the problem, so ensuring an adequate supply of iron is important for people with a documented deficiency. The most absorbable form of iron, called “heme” iron, is found in , , and . Non-heme iron is also found in these foods, as well as in dried , , leafy green , wine, and most iron supplements. Acidic foods (such as tomato sauce) cooked in an iron pan can leech iron into the food and thus also be a source of dietary iron.