Anemia

Anemia is common amoung women: vegan or not, you may be anemic without knowing it. If you are vegan and you are concerned about anemia try these food that are rich in iron and can be helpful.

Anemia symptoms and treatment:

Common anemia symptoms:

· Fatigue

· Weakness

· Pale or yellowish skin

· Irregular heartbeats

· Shortness of breath

· Dizziness or lightheadedness

· Chest pain

· Cold hands and feet

· Headache

These symptoms can be caused by other diseases, so whenever you have them call your doctor and he will do a blood test to make sure if you are anemic or not.

The treatment will be depending on the underlying cause, if it is iron deficiency anemia the treatment will be supplements and diet rich in iron, if it is B9 or B12 anemia you would take supplements.

Be careful!

There ar esome types of anemia not realted to nutrient deficiencies so the treatment will be more than diet and supplemnets, so make sure to consult always your doctor.

Vegan food for anemia:

If you have iron deficiency anemia and you are vegan you will choose from the food below:

Vegan Iron-Rich Foods

Sometimes the doctor ask you to follow an iron rich diet before trying supplements as they have side effects

· Beans, including bean products like tofu and hummus

· Certain dried fruits—peaches, apricots and prunes

· Dark, leafy greens can pack a powerful iron punch. Load up on the kale and collard greens, but skip the spinach and Swiss chard. These greens do contain a lot of iron, but they also contain compounds that block iron absorption.

· Blackstrap molasses is an iron powerhouse. Stir a tablespoon into your oatmeal to start the day with plenty of iron.

· Quinoa is a delicious iron-rich food and it is good to be added to your diet.

Iron absorption is increased by vitamin C and you can include many green leafy vegetables to your diet moreover citrus fruit can be a good option.

Plant-Based Sources of Folic Acid

You probably associate folic acid—aka folate or vitamin B9—with pregnancy, but a folic acid deficiency can also cause anemia. These are some great vegan sources of folic acid.

· Beans, which are also rich in iron, give you a hearty helping of folic acid.

· Just a half cup of asparagus provides 34 percent of your daily folate.

· Those iron-rich dark, leafy greens are also packed with folic acid.

Brussels sprouts and broccoli, in particular, give you a good amount of folic acid per cup.

· A cup of beets contains 37 percent of your daily folic acid needs. They’re also a good source of vitamin C, which helps with iron absorption.

· Citrus fruits give you both folic acid and vitamin C. A kale salad with citrusy dressing is starting to sound like a recipe for fighting anemia.

· A handful of nuts and seeds are a filling snack that also deliver a healthy dose of folate.

· Wheat germ is rich with folic acid. Sprinkle it onto your morning oatmeal to add some crunch and folate to your morning.

· Certain fruits—papaya, banana and avocado—are great sources of folate.

Vegan Sources of B12

If you are vegan you need to take vitamin B12 supplements along with plant food as they are limited choices.

· Nutritional yeast is a good vegan source of B12.

· Fermented food like tempeh, kombucha and kimchi are good dietary sources of the vitamin.

· Vegan milks, many cereals and vegan meat alternatives are fortified with B12.

Sources:

https://www.care2.com/greenliving/vegan-foods-for-anemia.html

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/blood-diseases/anemia-inflammation-chronic-disease