Regular iron intake is not only important for the he alth and well-being of a pregnant woman. Its appropriate dose protects the developing baby. Iron, like folic acid, is essential for the proper development of a baby's central nervous system. If you are pregnant, use preparations that supplement your diet with iron.

You literally need this element as air.Ironis a component of hemoglobin in red blood cells (red blood cells) that carry oxygen to all tissues in the body. If there is not enough iron indiet , the blood lacks erythrocytes and the oxygenation mechanism becomes ineffective. Effect? Weakness, pale skin, brittle hair and nails, mouth corners, feeling cold, headaches, insomnia, susceptibility to infections - these may be symptoms of iron deficiency and anemia resulting from it. About 45 percent suffer from it. women expecting a baby. Women in general are more likely than men to suffer from iron deficiency because they lose a lot of iron during menstruation; during pregnancy, the demand for this element increases even more. Because the volume of blood in a woman's body increases and her bloodstream now has to be handled by two organisms: her own and that of a child. The consequences ofanemiaduring pregnancy are serious: low birth weight and anemia in the baby, even miscarriage or premature birth.

Your body's daily iron requirements

In order to avoid anemia, the body needs to absorb about 2 mg of iron each day. It is not a lot - the problem is that although almost all products contain iron, it is poorly digestible - only 10% of the iron we eat with food is absorbed. So every day you have to provide ten times more of it with the diet to meet the body's needs. The standard recommended for pregnant women is as much as 26 mg a day.

Important

How much iron is in 100 g:

  • pork liver - 18.7 mg
  • beef liver - 9.4 mg
  • white beans - 6.9 mg
  • oatmeal - 3.9 mg
  • spinach (braised) - 3.6 mg
  • beef tenderloin - 3.1 mg
  • veal shoulder - 2.9 mg
  • cod fillet - 1.1 mg
  • boiled beet - 1.4 mg
  • buckwheat - 1.0 mg

Likefacilitate the absorption of iron

However, in order for the body to use iron from meat, fish and cold cuts, it is necessary to provide ingredients that facilitate the use of iron by the body in hematopoietic processes: B vitamins, especially B6, B12 and B9 (i.e. folic acid), as well as vitamin C, which increases the absorption of iron from food many times. B vitamins, as well as non-heme iron, can be found in green vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green lettuce, green beans, in whole grain cereal products (wholemeal bread, oatmeal, groats), some fruits and seeds (dried apricots, dates, avocados , nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds) and legumes (peas, beans, soybeans), and in beetroot and red cabbage. Vitamin C is provided by most fruits (especially strawberries, black currants, chokeberry, citrus) and many vegetables: tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sauerkraut, parsley. Meals must therefore be composed in such a way that the iron-abundant cold cuts, meat or fish are accompanied by fresh vegetables, fruit or juices, groats, wholemeal bread

Iron - an element difficult to digest

But it's not that simple either. Iron occurs in two forms: in plant products as difficult to digest, non-heme trivalent iron, and in animal products - easier to digest, divalent heme iron. So it is essential that the menu includes the latter products every day, i.e. veal meat, lean beef, pork liver, fish, lean meats such as beef and pork tenderloin, lean ham, turkey meats, head cheese, egg yolks. The body absorbs 10 to 20 percent of these products. iron contained in them (for comparison: lettuce - 4%, corn - 3%, and spinach only 1%).

You must do it

Cultivate good habits

  • Eat unprocessed, wholesome products, those with the most high-value protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals: lean red and poultry meat, fish, fresh vegetables and fruits, freshly squeezed juices, groats and whole grain bread, nuts .
  • Avoid fast food, cookies, crisps, sweets, which are highly processed foods that provide mostly empty calories.
  • Do not drink black tea or coffee with or immediately after a meal, just wait about half an hour. The tannins in coffee and tea inhibit the absorption of iron from the gastrointestinal tract. Avoid alcohol, fizzy drinks, energizing drinks, and cola - they rinse the iron outof the body.
  • Complement your meat meal with salad, e.g. a slice of tomato, a leaf of lettuce, a piece of paprika to a sandwich with ham or an egg. Wash your meals with a juice rich in vitamin C: orange, tomato, blackcurrant or nettle infusion (has hematopoietic properties).

An exemplary menu that will supplement iron deficiencies:

Breakfast :wholemeal bread sandwich with sirloin and tomato, 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese with chives and radish, a glass of orange juice, fruit tea. 2nd breakfast: 2 slices of dark bread, pepper and tomato salad and 1 tablespoon of chives. Lunch: Ukrainian borscht, beef roulades with groats, sauerkraut and carrot salad with parsley and a spoon of sunflower oil. Afternoon tea: a glass of cranberry jelly, 1/2 light cottage cheese, 2 whole grain rusks without sugar, pear. Dinner: 2 cubes of hake fillet (150 g) with large carrot and apple salad with a sauce of 2 tablespoons of yogurt, graham bread, a glass of blackcurrant juice or herbal tea.

"M jak mama" monthly

Category:

Pregnancy