Foods, fruits or herbs that are available in nature are more than enough to fulfill our daily requirements of all sorts of vitamins and minerals. There is never a need to depend on supplements or vitamin pills, if one focuses on having a healthy diet everyday and same goes for people with low hemoglobin count that is iron deficiency. Many people these days and especially women are suffering from iron deficiency which leads to problems like anemia and low hemoglobin count. So, let’s take a look at how we can deal with iron deficiency by having foods rich in iron.
Anemia is a blood-related disease that happens when there’s a deficiency of hemoglobin and red blood cells in the blood. It happens from low iron levels in the body, which might cause fatigue, weakness, and tiredness. But this is a problem that can be simply solved by having an iron-rich diet.
Different types of anemia include:
- Anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency
- Anemia due to folate (folic acid) deficiency
- Anemia due to iron deficiency
- Anemia of chronic disease
- Hemolytic anemia
- Idiopathic aplastic anemia
- Megaloblastic anemia
- Pernicious anemia
- Sickle cell anemia
- Thalassemia
Symptoms
You may have no symptoms if the anemia is mild or if the problem develops slowly. Symptoms that may occur first include:
- Feeling weak or tired more often than usual, or with exercise
- Headaches
- Problems concentrating or thinking
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Numbness and tingling of hands and feet
If the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include:
- Blue color to the whites of the eyes
- Brittle nails
- Desire to eat ice or other non-food things (pica syndrome)
- Lightheadedness when you stand up
- Pale skin color
- Shortness of breath with mild activity or even at rest
- Sore or inflamed tongue
- Mouth ulcers
- Abnormal or increased menstrual bleeding in females
- Loss of sexual desire in men
Here are 5 iron-rich foods that can help boost your hemoglobin levels:
1. Beetroots
Beets are filled with a rich range of iron, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, and C. “Loads of nutrients in beets benefit in stimulating red blood cell (RBC) production in your body and improve the hemoglobin level,” says Kaul.
There are many ways to include beets in your diet but Kaul suggests that, in a blender add about 1 cup of chopped beetroot, blend properly, strain the juice and add a teaspoon of lemon juice and drink this wonderful juice regularly in the morning as lemon juice adds to the vitamin C content and boosts the absorption of iron.
2. Raisins and dates
This wonderful dry fruit combination comes with a richness of iron, magnesium, copper, and vitamins A and C. Kaul suggests including these dry fruits in your meal plan to boost the immune system and promote iron absorption.Have 3 to 5 dates and a tbsp of raisins as a snack or with your breakfast which gives you instant energy and augments iron levels.
3. Khichdi made of green dal
“Green moong dal khichdi is power filled with nutrients that is certain to pump iron stores and improve energy levels,” says Kaul. It is a simple and quick-to-make recipe and one of the best comfort foods during all seasons. This healthy khichdi has the right blend of protein and good carbohydrates.
This essence of spinach and dal cooked with whole spices serves as a good one-pot meal.
4. Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are filled with iron, copper, zinc, selenium, and vitamins B6, E, and folate. Daily addition of black sesame seeds is proven to boost hemoglobin levels and promote the absorption of iron.
The nutrition expert advises that one can take around 1 tbsp of black sesame seeds dry roast, mix with a teaspoon of honey, and roll into a ball. Have this nutritious till laddu daily to boost your iron levels.
5. Moringa leaves
Moringa leaves are the leaves of the same plant from which you get drumsticks famously used in south indian foods like sambhar. “Moringa leaves are filled with a good amount of vitamins A, C, magnesium, and iron,” says Kaul.
Simply have 1 tsp of moringa leaf powder daily in the morning on an empty stomach.
Now try these natural ways to increase hemoglobin levels and see the difference.
