Anemia

Iron-deficiency anemia can be a problem for some people in cancer treatment. There are many possible medical and nutritional causes of anemia. Not all anemias are related to the amount of iron that you eat. It’s important that you do not add an iron supplement to your diet without talking to your health care team.

The most important thing you can do for anemia is to take your medications as prescribed. Your health care team will determine which medications are best for you.

If you know that your anemia is related to low iron, certain food choices can help your body get the iron it needs.

To Get More Iron from the Diet

Beef and other animal foods are good sources of iron. The darker the meat, the better the source of iron. For example, a dark red steak (before cooking) will have more iron than pale-colored beef. Dark turkey meat has more iron than light turkey meat. All animal foods contain some iron. If you do eat beef, pork, poultry, fish, or any other meat, cook the meat completely to minimize the risk of food poisoning. 

In addition to animal foods, the following plant foods are rich in iron: 

• Vegetables - Leafy greens, such as broccoli, spinach, kale, turnip greens, and collards; potatoes with the skin; lima beans; green peas; and all other beans (e.g., kidney, black, navy, etc.), tomato sauce.
• Fruit - Dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, prunes, and prune juice.
• Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta - Iron-fortified whole-grain breads, pastas, rice, and cereals. Scan food labels and look for breads and cereals that contain 20 percent or more of the daily value for iron.
• Nuts/seeds - All nuts and seeds, such as peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and almonds, contain some iron.
• Other - Blackstrap molasses. This isn’t something we normally eat, but it does contain plenty of iron. Try it on hot cereal, such as oatmeal.

More Tips

• Cook with cast-iron pots and pans. Food will absorb iron from the pot. This works well with acidic foods, such as tomato sauce.
• Foods and drinks that are high in vitamin C help your body get more iron from the food you eat. Orange juice (without calcium) is a good drink to help your body get more iron from food or from iron supplements.
• Foods that are high in calcium make it harder for your body to absorb iron. Do not take an iron supplement or eat iron-rich foods with milk or other calcium-rich foods.
• Coffee, tea, and soda make it harder for your body to absorb iron. Do not take an iron supplement or eat iron-rich foods with coffee, tea, or soda.
• High-fiber cereals make it harder for your body to absorb iron. Do not take your iron supplement at the same time you eat high-fiber cereals.
• Calcium supplements make it harder for your body to absorb iron. Do not take an iron supplement or eat iron-rich foods at the same time you take calcium supplements.
• Remember, it is OK to include milk and other calcium-rich foods in your diet. Just be sure to eat them at different times than you eat iron-rich foods or take an iron supplement.
• If iron supplements upset your stomach or cause constipation, try taking a slow-release form of iron. Look for an iron supplement that is labeled “Slow Fe” or “Slow Iron.” These may cause less stomach upset than regular iron supplements.

Should I take an iron supplement?

Talk to your health care team about whether you should take an iron supplement. If your doctor or nurse tells you to take an iron supplement, be sure to use the right kind. Your body can use some types of iron better than others. Good iron supplements contain ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous ascorbate, or ferric ammonium citrate. Check the label and pick a supplement that contains one of these types of iron.