Non-vegetarian meal plan for people with anemia or iron deficiency

Not sure what to eat to boost your iron intake? Follow this meal plan.

By: Tania Tarafdar | | Updated: July 19, 2016 10:15 am

If you are anaemic, it is important that you get enough iron from your diet. There are two types of iron– heme and nonheme iron. Heme iron is quickly absorbed by your body while the nonheme iron is not as readily absorbed as heme iron. Animal protein such as chicken is a primary source of heme iron while plant-based foods such as spinach and legumes are sources of nonheme iron. Including vitamin C-rich foods such as oranges, broccoli and pepper can enhance the absorption of iron. To make it simpler for you, we asked Dr Neha Gupta, Nutritionist at Fortis Hospital, Delhi to write down a meal plan for you. You must also be aware of these symptoms of anaemia.

Breakfast: For an iron-rich breakfast, eat a bowl of oatmeal fortified with iron along with a tablespoon of raisins. Combine it with a glass of fresh orange juice. Orange is rich in vitamin C that helps in absorption of iron. Also, avoid coffee and tea as they can inhibit your iron absorption. Remember that it is always a good idea to check the nutritional value of food labels before purchasing the cereal.

Lunch: For lunch, you can eat a bowl of lentil. In fact, the traditional way of eating dal with chawal, can increase the absorption of iron. Whole grains can decrease the absorption of iron so it is best that you stick to rice. Combine it with grilled fish to up your intake of iron. Fishes like tuna and salmon are the richest sources of iron with around 170g of these fishes containing 1.5 mg iron each. Serve your afternoon meal with a bowl of chopped carrots.

Evening snack: Eat 4 – 5 dates (khajur) or along with 5-6 raisins in the evening. This can provide you around 7.3 mg of iron, to fulfil your daily recommended dosage of this mineral.

Dinner: For dinner, you can eat roasted or grilled chicken breasts. Chicken can increase the nonheme iron absorption by two or three folds. Combine it with baked potatoes and steamed broccoli to increase your absorption of iron. You can also combine the chicken with stuffed peppers to enhance the absorption of iron. These foods can also improve your iron absorption and prevent anaemia.

Image source: Getty Images

Published : July 5, 2016 4:30 pm | Updated:July 19, 2016 10:15 am

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