Do you feel constantly tired and sleepy regardless of how many hours of sleep you had the night before? Tiredness, exhaustion, dizziness, irregular heartbeat and chest pains are common symptoms of many health conditions, one of which is iron deficiency anaemia.
Discover our latest podcast
As the name suggests, this condition is brought on by insufficient iron in your body, according to Mayo Clinic. While you should be eating foods rich in iron, you should avoid these three foods if you suffer from iron deficiency.
Dairy
Dairy products such as milk and cheese are a good source of calcium which is essential for bone health but, they are not the best for iron absorption, per an article on Health Digest. Studies how that calcium impedes the absorption of iron from both animal and plant sources.
Milk products sourced from plants such as almond milk were also found to be iron inhibitors. Thankfully, there are other sources of calcium:
Keep in mind that dairy is not the only source of calcium in the diet. Other important natural sources include sardines, salmon, tofu, soybeans, spinach, turnips, kale, chia seeds, and bok choi
Red wine
If you have been diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia, you might want to rethink that glass of red wine. According to a 2020 review published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, while alcohol itself acts as a promoter of iron absorption, this effect does not apply to red wine.
This means that the same compounds that give it its multiple known health benefits are the ones that keep the mineral from entering your system.
Whole grains and legumes
This one may sound shocking because although whole grains and legumes are healthy food choices, they are not ideal when you are treating iron deficiency, according to Health Digest.
Regardless of how beneficial insoluble fibre is for your overall health, it is known to inhibit mineral absorption, including iron. Additionally, whole grains and legumes both contain an anti-nutrient called phytate, one of the most significant iron-absorption inhibitors from plant-based foods.
Read more:
⋙ Vitamin B12 deficiency: Having cold extremities could be a sign of deficiency
⋙ Vitamin D deficiency: Your lower back could be giving you a sign
