If you have been diagnosed with anemia, your physician may have suggested that you increase your iron intake on top of taking iron supplements. If you're overweight or have diabetes, and you choose to lose weight or control your blood glucose by going on a low-carb diet, this won't worsen your anemia. In fact, some low-carb diets are iron-rich, while still remaining low in starchy foods.
Anemia
Anemia derives from a reduced amount of red blood cells in your body or when there isn’t enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells. Hemoglobin is a protein that contains iron that is used to turn blood red. Hemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen from the red blood cells through the lungs and to the rest of the body. A lack of oxygen rich blood causes you to feel fatigued or short of breath. Anemia is caused by poor diet, blood loss, lack of red blood cell production and red blood cell destruction. Left untreated, anemia can become life-threatening. Some forms of anemia can be prevented by using iron supplements and eating iron-rich foods.
Low-Carb Diet Benefits
If you're anemic and overweight, you may have chosen to go on a low-carb diet to shed some pounds. Low-carb diets are also good for controlling blood glucose levels and reducing symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, according to the Glycemic Index website. It's important to remember that, while reducing the amount of carbohydrates you consume, you eat plenty of iron-rich meat, vegetables and grain. Most mainstream low-carb diets, including the glycemic index diet, are safe for you to follow if you're anemic. However, beware of low-cab diets that also restrict meat or vegetable intake.
Diet Structure
Low-carb diets still promote the consumption of certain grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy and protein, which will still provide you with all of the essential nutrients needed for good health. According to the Mayo Clinic website, low-carb diets minimize the amount of carbohydrates that you can eat, mainly from starchy vegetable and fruit sources, while focusing on increasing dietary protein intake and fat. However, there are several low-carb diets that exist and each has different restrictions on carbohydrate intake and what type of carbohydrate sources that you can eat from. If you have anemia, you may want to steer clear of low-carb diets that emphasize restrictions on fruit and vegetables that are high in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, mangos, spinach, broccoli and melons. Vitamin C increase iron uptake, so if you're getting your iron solely from food and no supplements, you’ll need to increase your vitamin C intake to support greater iron absorption.
Considerations
Increasing meat intake is particularly helpful if you're at risk of becoming iron deficient or if you already are. Red meat, in particular, contains a higher concentration of iron than fish or grain. However, if you have high cholesterol or if you're at a high risk for developing heart disease or high cholesterol, choose a low-carb diet that restricts the intake of both saturated and trans fats. Eating an increased amount of these fats can increase low-density lipoprotein “bad cholesterol” levels and decrease good cholesterol levels. Although it's safe to increase the consumption of iron-containing foods, don't increase the dosage of iron supplements unless directed by your physician. This can cause iron poisoning, which in some cases is fatal.
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