Anemia and chocolate

Here is good news for chocolate lovers: iron in milk chocolate and dark chocolate can have a positive impact on your anemia. If you have trouble getting enough iron in your diet, chocolate is a food you can add – in moderation – which can have a positive impact on your iron levels.

Iron anemia

According to the United States Ministry of Health and Social Services, iron anemia is the most common form of anemia. Anemia occurs when your body does not produce enough healthy red blood cells. Or this could happen if the red blood cells do not work properly. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when your body does not get enough iron, which plays a hemoglobin to do. Hemoglobin is part of a red globe responsible for transporting oxygen to different parts of the body.

Iron anemia affects more women than men due to specific gender conditions such as pregnancy and heavy menstrual cycles. However, men can also experience iron deficient iron anemia. Adolescents, small children and infants are also at risk of developing iron anemia. Other common causes are internal bleeding and not have enough iron in your diet.

Certain common symptoms of iron anemia include:

• feel weak

• dizziness

• headache

• get bored

• Grumpy or grumpy

• Difficulty concentrating

• pale skin

• shortness of breath

Chocolate and iron anemia

Chocolate is one of the many foods that naturally contain higher iron levels. For some people, the increase in iron intake throughout the day may be sufficient to help prevent iron anemia. For others, like pregnant people, people with certain conditions and infants must complement their daily supply.

According to the USDA, 100 grams of milk chocolate contains 2.35 mg of iron. The United States Ministry of Health and Social Services identifies that men aged 19 to 50 need 8 milligrams daily and that women need 18 years. This represents 30% of daily iron needs for a man. For women, it still represents around 13% of daily needs.

And, if you consume a complete cup of milk chocolate chips, according to the USDA, you would consume 3.95 milligrams of iron. For men, it would be almost half of their daily needs. For women, it would be around 22% of their daily needs.

These figures improve even more with dark chocolate iron levels. According to the USDA, if you consume 100 grams of dark chocolate 60%, you will get 3.6 milligrams of iron. For men, this would give them around 45% of their daily iron needs. For women, this would provide around 20% of their daily needs. If you eat dark chocolate with a 90% cocoa, you will get almost 11 milligrams of iron, which is more than a medium -sized man needs and about 60% of what a woman needs.

Find out more: Is dark chocolate healthier than milk chocolate?

Other iron -rich foods

It is important to keep in mind that you should get your iron from various sources. Although chocolate is certainly tempting, it also contains additional refined sugars and fats that are not excellent for you. You should eat chocolate in moderation and as part of a well -balanced diet.

In addition to chocolate, here is a short list of iron foods to consider:

• red meat
• green leafy vegetables like broccoli and spinach
• liver
• nut
• Lima and other beans
• sea ​​fruit
• whole grains
• Foods enriched with iron such as cereals and breads
• infantile
• dried fruits

While some fruits may contain iron, drying of fruit is the best way to get iron -rich fruit in your diet. For a double dose of iron, try a dried dark chocolate fruit. Do not forget to eat them in moderation.

Finally, if you suspect anemia, talk to your doctor recommended processing options. The iron found in food may not be enough and you may need to take additional supplements. You should follow all the food directives your doctor provides you to process your condition and prevent other health problems.

Find out more: Side effects of intravenous iron and iron overload