Spinach and jujube are foods that many people believe can be used for iron supplementation, especially in traditional Chinese food culture, where they are seen as good for iron supplementation**. However, there are some discrepancies between what doctors think about this.
Doctors believe that although spinach and jujube do contain a certain amount of iron, they are not real iron supplements, and their iron supplementation effects are not as good as we imagined.
In particular, spinach, although it contains a high iron content, but in fact, the iron it contains is mainly non-heme iron, and its absorption rate is relatively low, and it cannot be directly absorbed and utilized in the human body, let alone really achieve the effect of iron supplementation. At the same time, spinach contains a lot of oxalic acid, which will affect the absorption of iron, but will reduce the absorption rate of iron.
In contrast, doctors recommend eating foods that contain heme iron, which is a key component of hemoglobin in the body, which transports oxygen to tissues and organs throughout the body, and is essential for maintaining adequate iron intake and health.
Meat is a high-quality heme iron, such as lean meat, animal liver, animal blood and fish, etc., which are rich in heme iron, which can be more effectively absorbed and utilized by the body, so as to really play a role in iron supplementation. In addition, some foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, etc., also contribute to iron absorption.
However, for special groups such as pregnant women and nursing mothers, doctors recommend that while consuming these foods rich in heme iron, it is also necessary to pay attention to the appropriate intake of some plant foods, such as green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc., to ensure a balanced intake of nutrients.
Doctors also emphasize that relying solely on food for iron supplementation is not entirely reliable, and that patients with severe iron deficiency may need to use medications** to supplement enough iron, but this needs to be done under the guidance of a doctor.
Therefore, we should pay attention to the combination of meals in our daily life, consume various nutrients, and choose the appropriate iron supplementation method according to our own situation to maintain the health of the body.