3 Best Ways to Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia

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Author: Junji Takano

Photo Location: http://www.pyroenergen.com/images/author.jpg

Category: Health-related

Word Count: 753

Format: 65 characters per line

Title: 3 Best Ways to Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia

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Did you know that Iron Deficiency Anemia affects about 20% of the

world's population? It is also the most common type of anemia

caused by inadequate dietary intake or absorption of iron. But if

you do suffer from iron deficiency anemia due to lack of iron in

your body, don't look again on those poisonous iron supplements.

Just follow these three preventive ways and you're on the way of

better living.

1. Eat Foods that are Rich in Iron

The best food sources of iron are wholegrain cereals, pulses and

legumes, and fish. The best plant sources are green leafy

vegetables such as dry lotus stems, cauliflower greens, and

turnip greens; fruits such as black currants, watermelons,

raisins, and dried dates. However, irons from these foods are

hard for the body to absorb. It is recommended that you eat

animal products, which contain heme iron. If you mix some lean

meat, fish, or poultry with beans or dark leafy greens at a meal,

you can improve absorption of vegetable sources of iron up to

three times. Foods rich in vitamin C also increase iron

absorption.

2. Cook Using Cast-Iron Cookwares

Did you know that cooking in cast-iron cookwares can add

significant amounts of iron to your food and into your body? Yes,

it's true and this was proven by researchers who tested 20 foods.

Acidic foods that have higher moisture content, such as

applesauce and spaghetti sauce, absorb the most iron. In fact,

for 100 grams of each (about 3.5oz.), the applesauce increased in

iron content from 0.35mg to 7.3mg, and the spaghetti sauce jumped

from 0.6mg to 5.7mg of iron.

Food cooked for longer periods of time absorbed more iron than

food that was heated more quickly. Foods prepared with a newer

iron skillet absorbed more iron than those cooked in an older

one. Foods that were cooked and stirred more frequently absorbed

greater amount of iron because they came into contact with the

iron more often. Foods such as hamburger, corn tortillas,

cornbread, and liver with onions won't absorb much iron due to

the shorter cooking times.

This list was provided so you can have general idea of the

difference in dietary iron content when cooking in a cast-iron

pan:

Foods Tested (100g/3.5oz) = Iron content when raw = Iron content

after cooking in iron skillet

- Applesauce, unsweetened = 0.35mg = 7.38mg

- Spaghetti sauce = 0.61 = 5.77

- Chili with meat and beans = 0.96 = 6.27

- Medium white sauce = 0.22 = 3.30

- Scrambled egg = 1.49 = 4.76

- Spaghetti sauce with meat = 0.71 = 3.58

- Beef vegetable stew = 0.66 = 3.4

- Fried egg = 1.92 = 3.48

- Spanish rice = 0.87 = 2.25

- Rice, white = 0.67 = 1.97

- Pan broiled bacon = 0.77 = 1.92

- Poached egg = 1.87 = 2.32

- Fried chicken = 0.88 = 1.89

- Pancakes = 0.63 = 1.31

- Pan fried green beans = 0.64 = 1.18

- Pan broiled hamburger = 1.49 = 2.29

- Fried potatoes = 0.42 = 0.8

- Fried corn tortillas = 0.86 = 1.23

- Pan-fried beef liver with onions = 3.1 = 3.87

- Baked cornbread = 0.67 = 0.86

3. Avoid Whole Cow's Milk on the First 12 Months of Life

Whole cow's milk contains as much iron per liter as breast milk,

but only a very small proportion is actually absorbed into the

body. However, the iron in breast milk is very well absorbed by

babies. Therefore, breast milk is one of the best sources of iron

for baby providing all the iron needed (with all other nutrients

and benefits) for the first 6 months of life. Bottom line:

breast-feeding is the best way to prevent iron deficiency anemia

in babies. If breast-feeding is not an option, or is stopped

before 9-12 months, then iron-fortified formulas, which contain

added iron, should be given to baby instead of whole cow's milk.

Things to Remember:

* Chronic blood loss, times of increased need such as pregnancy,

and vigorous exercise can trigger iron deficiency.

* Don't take iron supplements unless advised by your doctor.

* There are two types of iron: heme iron (found in animal foods)

and nonheme iron (found in plant foods). Combining foods that are

high in heme iron with nonheme iron foods boosts the absorption

power.

* Keep iron supplements away from children - as little as one to

three grams can kill a child under six years.

About the Author:

Junji Takano is a Japanese health researcher and has been

studying the causes of viruses since 1960s. In 1968, he invented

Pyro-Energen, the first electrotherapy device that eradicates

viral diseases in a non-narcotic way.

Visit him at: http://www.pyroenergen.com

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