Vegetarian Foods to Improve Hemoglobin

Iron is one of the most crucial nutrient without which life could not exist. It is an essential mineral which forms the main component of the blood called, haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the element found in RBCs and gives blood its red color. It is essential for transporting water and oxygen all throughout the body to the various body organs. Deficiency of haemoglobin can cause several conditions in the individuals. Individual with a low level of haemoglobin may feel tired and worn out all the time.

It is highly essential for you to have increased haemoglobin. In case of lower levels of haemoglobin, you will feel exhausted even with minor bleeding. Persons with lower levels of haemoglobin require visiting doctor regularly for treatment. There are various vegetarian foods which aid you in improving your haemoglobin level.

Vegetarian Foods to Improve Haemoglobin

Vegetarian Foods to Improve Haemoglobin:

One can improve his or her haemoglobin levels by eating iron rich vegetarian foods like vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses, nuts etc. Here are some of the best vegetarian foods containing high level of iron, so as to improve haemoglobin.

  1. Fruits

    Here are some of the fruits which help in improving haemoglobin because of the rich iron content present in them.

    • Dried Apricots: They are delicious as well as a great source of iron and also rich in antioxidants. Every 100 grams of dried apricots contain more that 50% of daily requirement of iron.
    • Persimmons: This is an orange colored fruit that resembles tomatoes. They can be added to your vegetarian diet for improving haemoglobin as they contain rich amount of iron, vitamin C, antioxidants etc.
    • Raisins: Dried grapes are the raisins which have more iron content than many other fruits. Every half cup of raisin contains 1.6 mg or iron.
    • Mulberries: Mulberries are a great source of iron which makes it a great fruit of choice for anemics and for people who are looking to improve their haemoglobin levels. 100 grams of mulberries contain 1.8 mg of iron.
    • Currants:These are the tiny fruits which contain a rich amount of nutrient and are a great source of iron. 100 gram of currants contains about 1 mg of iron.
    • Dates: These are cholesterol free and also are low in fat fruits. They are rich in several nutrients and energy. Apart from all these, dates are rich in iron which aids in improving haemoglobin levels. Cup of dates of 250 gram contains 3 mg of iron.
    • Prunes: Prunes are the dried plums which are black in color and have a wrinkled outer appearance. They are rich in iron content. Every 100 gram of prunes contain 9% of the daily recommended iron intake.
    • Water Melon: This is a refreshing summer fruit which is 90% water and is rich in several nutrients including iron. It also contains high vitamin C levels, which aid the body absorbs iron more quickly and more efficiently. Thus taking this fruits aid in improving haemoglobin levels.
    • Pomegranate: This is one of the most recommended fruit for all blood related illnesses, including iron deficiency or anemia. Taking this fruit regularly help in improving haemoglobin level in the body.
  2. Vegetables

    • Sun Dried Tomatoes: Sun dried tomatoes can provide you with about 50% of your iron requirement of the day. 100 grams of sun dried tomatoes contain about 9.1 mg of iron.Taking them regularly help in improving haemoglobin levels in the body, thus making them a powerful vegetarian food to improve haemoglobin.
    • Mushrooms: Mushrooms are also known to be containing a rich amount of iron in them. Morel mushrooms are the type of mushrooms which contain the highest source of iron in them.
    • Lemon grass: Lemon grass is a citrus flavoured grass that is commonly used to flavour soups, curries and some special teas. They are among the leafy vegetables which can be used to improve haemoglobin.
    • Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas: These are a delicious legume which are rich in iron and also contain other potent nutrient. Adding this to your diet can help in improving haemoglobin in the body. 100 grams of Garbanzo beans contain about 6.2 mg of iron.
    • Swiss Chard: This is a green leafy vegetable having deep green or reddish thick leaves. This is rich in different phytonutrients, antioxidants and also is rich in iron. Taking this on a regular basis will aid in improving haemoglobin level in the body.
    • Spinach: This is perhaps the most popular dark green vegetables containing a great nutritional value. It is a powerful source of iron and can be eaten every day making it an effective vegetarian food to improve hemoglobin. It is noted that cooked spinach contain a higher iron content than fresh spinach. 180 grams of cooked spinach contains 6.43 mg of iron. Spinach being a vegetable rich in iron content, can help you improve haemoglobin.
    • Beans: Beans are also known to be rich in iron and is an effective vegetarian food to improve haemoglobin levels in the body.
    • Parsley: This vegetable is potent and sweet tasting known to prepare vegetable juice. Parsley contains a significant amount of iron required for the formation of haemoglobin in the body. 2 tablespoons of parsley contain about 0.47 mg of iron. This is about 2.6% of the daily recommended amount of iron. Adding this vegetable to your diet can be highly beneficial in improving haemoglobin levels.
  3. Cereals

    • Cereals are also known to be rich in iron content and thus can be added in your list of vegetarian foods to improve haemoglobin.
    • The millets like Bajra, Jowar, Ragi etc. are the good source for iron amongst the cereals.
    • Rice flakes or chidwa is one more cereal that should be included in the diet for better availability of iron.
  4. Pulses

    • Nutritionists also tell that a number of pulses are good source of iron. Most legumes and pulses provide you with iron requirements in the vegetarian diet to improve haemoglobin.
    • Bengal gram, in its roasted form and Bengal gram dal is a good iron source.
    • Horse gram, kidney beans, soyabean and peas are also good sources of iron.
    • Tofu made from soy milk contributes to the iron content of a vegetarian diet in a great way.
  5. Nuts and Seeds

    • Nuts and seeds are excellent vegetarian foods that are known to provide a rich amount of iron to the body and thus aid in improving haemoglobin.
    • Nuts like almonds and peanuts are highly important for their rich iron content, especially in a vegetarian diet
    • Seeds like pumpkin seeds, seeds of water melon, sunflower seeds etc when added to the vegetarian diet, improves iron levels and thus help in improving haemoglobin.

Conclusion:

Now that we are aware of some of the best vegetarian foods to improve haemoglobin like fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, cereals etc. including all these in your daily diet can help your body get more of iron and thus aid in improving your haemoglobin levels.

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:July 7, 2017

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