Anemia & the Indian Diet

 

Inadequate hemoglobin levels in red blood cells causes anemia. This serious condition slows the rate of oxygen absorption into the blood, resulting in fatigue, headaches, brittle hair and decreased cognitive ability. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, men between the ages of 18 and 70 need between 8 and 11 grams of iron per day. Women in this same age range require between 15 and 18 grams of iron per day. Insufficient dietary iron is the primary cause of anemia, but other vitamin deficiencies can exacerbate this condition. Although anemia occurs throughout the world, the standard diet in certain countries, such as India, increases the risk of anemia.

Types of Iron

The two varieties of dietary iron are and non-heme. Plant-based foods, such as beans and vegetables, provide non-heme iron, while heme iron is found in animal meat. Both types of iron contribute to your hemoglobin levels, but your body absorbs heme iron much more easily than non-heme iron. The difference in absorption rates requires you to eat larger quantities of non-heme foods to achieve the same iron levels.

Limited Meat

While not strictly vegetarian, the cow is considered sacred in Hinduism, making beef non-existent in the Indian diet. Chicken is acceptable, but it appears infrequently in traditional Indian dishes. Just 3 ounces of lean beef provides over 3 grams of iron. Chicken and turkey provide considerably less iron, with 3 ounces of chicken breast offering just over 1 gram of iron. A single serving of beef and chicken liver contains three days worth of iron, but the Indian diet rarely includes liver. Given the level of iron in meat, removing, or at least limiting, these items increases the risk of anemia.

Insufficient Greens

The Indian diet includes an insufficient amount of green vegetables, such as spinach and kale, which provide the micronutrients necessary for the body to break down dietary iron. A 2007 compilation study published in "Indian Pediatrics" found that the quantity of micronutrients, such as folate and vitamin A, in the diet of Indian children were also inadequate. Even if the Indian diet included adequate amounts of non-heme iron, the body can't break down iron for absorption without the necessary micronutrients. Anything the body cannot break down is passed through the digestive tract, which deprives the body of necessary iron, thus causing anemia.

Inadequate Vitamin C

Vitamin C enables the absorption of iron into the blood stream after other micronutrients break down the mineral. Consuming vitamin C-rich foods when eating non-heme iron sources common in the Indian diet, such as beans and legumes, increases your body's iron absorption. Given that iron-rich foods are limited in the Indian diet, maximizing absorption when iron is available helps prevent anemia. For example, serving slices of citrus fruit, such as lemons or oranges, alongside a a traditional Indian dal boosts your ability to absorb iron from the lentils.