Often feel weak and tired? Maybe your body is lacking blood. For that reason, consuming blood-boosting foods rich in iron can be a solution. What are the foods? Come, see the explanation here.
A decrease in red blood cells in the body is generally caused by iron deficiency. With the reduction in iron, your body cannot produce enough hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that has the role of carrying oxygen to the body's tissues. Therefore, iron deficiency can cause you to feel weak and easily tired.
Sources of Blood-boosting Iron
There are two forms of iron that the body absorbs from the food you consume, namely:
- Heme. Derived from hemoglobin. Generally found in animal food ingredients, such as poultry, red meat, and fish.
- Non-heme. Available in plant foods, such as potatoes, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, seeds, beans such as kidney beans, and dried fruits such as raisins.
Heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron that comes from vegetable sources. Absorption will also be easier if iron-containing foods are consumed with vitamin C, which is widely available in fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, oranges, mangoes, and broccoli.
Therefore, so that the body does not lack blood, make it a habit to eat blood-enhancing foods rich in iron. Here are some food groups that can be the body's blood booster:
1. Red meat
Red meat, such as beef and mutton, is a source of heme iron. Red meat is the easiest blood boosting food to find. In 100 grams of red meat contained 2.7 mg of iron. It already meets 15% of the recommended daily intake.
2. Offal
Organs in animals such as liver, kidney, brain and heart, contain high iron. Even 100 grams of beef liver contains 6.5 mg of iron which meets 36% of the recommended daily intake.
3. Poultry meat
Consuming 100 grams of poultry meat, such as chicken, already meets 13% of the recommended daily intake of iron. In addition to chicken, blood-boosting food from the poultry meat group is duck meat.
4. Seafood or seafood
Seafood, especially shellfish and oysters, is rich in iron. Even in 100 grams of shellfish there are 28 mg of iron, which can meet 155% of the recommended daily iron intake. However, the iron content of shellfish varies greatly, some are high and some are much lower.
5. Cereals
Choose cereals that have been given additional iron as a food supplement for your blood.
6. Vegetables are dark green
Green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, are good sources of iron. But it is recommended to cook spinach first to get the maximum benefits of iron. With cooking, iron will be more easily absorbed by the body.
7. Nuts, beans, and seeds
For example arab beans, soybeans, black beans, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Blood Enhancer according to age
The need for iron as a blood booster food is different for each age group. Here are some age groups that require special attention in blood-boosting food intake:
In infants
- Giving milk or formula milk fortified with iron is needed to prevent the baby from lack of blood. As much as possible, give milk until the baby is 12 months old.
- Avoid cow's milk because it is not the best source of iron for babies under one year. As much as possible avoid also goat milk and soy milk until your baby is a year old.
- After one year of age, make sure your little one does not consume too much milk, because it can reduce the portion of other foods, including foods rich in iron.
- Since the age of 6 months, babies can be introduced to solid foods complementary milk (MPASI). Give your child food that is rich in vitamin C to increase iron absorption.
- Babies need about 11 mg of iron per day.
In toddlers and children
- After one year of age, toddlers can be given cow's milk, goat's milk, or soy milk every day, but not recommended more than 200 ml. Meanwhile, after the age of 2 years, it is better to give low-fat milk as a source of iron.
- Give blood-enhancing foods in the form of lean meat and cereals, as well as bread containing iron.
- In addition, do not forget to give fruits and vitamins that are rich in vitamin C to help the absorption of iron.
- Children aged 4-8 years need about 10 mg of iron, and for ages 9-13 years around 8 mg.
In adult men and women
- Eat enough iron-rich blood boosting foods, such as red meat, fish and poultry.
- Consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C.
- Teenage boys need about 11 mg of iron, while young women need 15 mg per day.
- Adult men need about 8 mg of iron per day.
- Adult women need about 18 mg of iron per day until they reach menopause, which their iron needs will decrease.
- If it is felt that iron needs are not fulfilled from food, you can consult your doctor to get iron supplements or blood booster supplements.
Iron requirements may change under certain conditions, such as when you are pregnant or sick. Consult your doctor to find out the type and portion of blood-boosting food that you need according to your condition.
Komentar
Posting Komentar