5 Foods That Will Help To Increase Your Hemoglobin Levels

Hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein found in the red blood cells, renders the red color to your blood. It is responsible for carrying oxygen and transporting it to all the parts of the body. In addition to transporting oxygen, it carries carbon dioxide away from the cells and to the lungs for expulsion. Basically, hemoglobin is a very important protein, crucial for leading a healthy life.

A drop in the level of hemoglobin can make it difficult for the body organs to get enough oxygen, which can lead to a plethora of symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath, fast heart rate, pale skin, etc. Decreased levels of hemoglobin in blood is called anemia.

Get a Complete Blood Count (CBC) Test and know if you could have anemia.

Low hemoglobin level is quite common in India, especially in women. The normal level of hemoglobin required for adult men is around 14 to 18 g/dL and for adult women it’s 12 to 16 g/dL. Anything less than these levels can result in anemia.

It is vitally important that adequate measures are taken to improve your hemoglobin levels. Your diet can play a significant role in the synthesis of hemoglobin and maintain an optimum level of hemoglobin.

# Beetroot

Beetroot is enriched with natural iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 and C. The wealth of nutrients in this wondrous vegetable helps in increasing the hemoglobin count and regeneration of red blood cells. It can be consumed raw as salad or in the cooked form. Alternatively, you can even blend it and prepare a glass of beetroot juice.

# Moringa Leaves

Moringa leaves are rich in minerals like zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, vitamin A, B and C. Take a few finely chopped moringa leaves and make a paste, add a teaspoon of jaggery powder and blend well. Consume this churna regularly along with the breakfast to improve your hemoglobin level and red blood cells count.

# Green Leafy Vegetables

Green vegetables like spinach, mustard greens, celery, and ​ broccoli are rich vegetarian sources of iron. It is advised to have cooked spinach as raw leaves contain oxalic acid which may prevent the absorption of iron in the body. This leafy green vegetable is a natural source of vitamin B12, folic acid, and other vital nutrients, and you should make it a staple part of your daily platter if you want to increase your hemoglobin.

Broccoli is a rich source of iron and B-complex vitamin folic acid, and also contains a healthy amount of other essential nutrients like magnesium, vitamin A and C. Moreover, green veggies are low in calories and are good sources of dietary fiber. Hence, they can also help you in weight loss and improve digestion.

# Dates, Raisins & Figs

Dates and raisins offer a combination of iron and Vitamin C. Figs, on the other hand, are packed with the goodness of iron, magnesium, vitamin A and folate. Consuming a handful of dried figs and raisins and two or three dates in the morning can provide you with instant energy and improve your hemoglobin levels. It is also recommended to have fig milk at bedtime twice a week to increase hemoglobin levels. Diabetics should take such dry fruits in moderation only.

# Sesame Seeds

Eating black sesame seeds is another great way of increasing your iron intake as they are loaded with iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium and vitamin B6, E and folate. You can soak them in some water and leave it overnight before consuming it the next morning. Mix about 1 tablespoon of dry roasted black sesame seeds with a teaspoon of honey and roll into a ball. Consume this nutritious ladoo regularly to boost your iron levels. You can sprinkle some over your cereal or oatmeal or even yogurts and fruit salads.