Anyone can develop anaemia, though the problem is more common among women than men. It grows mainly out of a lack of iron in the body, so keeping the body's iron level in balance is essential, and that calls for enough iron-rich food.

Anaemia is when the amount of haemoglobin in the blood falls below normal. A blood test can measure the red blood cell count and haemoglobin level. Foods such as meat, fish, spinach, beetroot and peas help make up an iron deficiency, and people with anaemia can also add a few drinks to their daily diet.

Doctors often advise people with low haemoglobin to drink beetroot juice. It contains folate, manganese, potassium, iron, betaine and vitamin C among other nutrients, and it helps flush toxins out of the liver.

To make it, thinly slice two medium beetroots, one cucumber and one inch of ginger. First cut away the yellow peel of a lemon, cut it into pieces and set it aside, discarding the seeds. Then put everything through a juicer, strain and drink.

Leafy greens are very good for anaemia. Besides iron, spinach contains nutrients such as vitamin B12 and folic acid; half a cup of spinach holds about 35 per cent iron and 33 per cent folic acid. Spinach soup is another good remedy, and a glass of fresh spinach juice mixed with two spoons of honey taken every day also helps.

To make the juice, set aside one cup of finely chopped mint and two cups of roughly chopped spinach in half a cup of water. Mix the two together, blend well in a blender and strain. For more flavour, add a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of ground cumin; ice cubes can be added too.

Pomegranate juice is hard to beat for anaemia. Mix a quarter spoon of ground cinnamon and two teaspoons of honey into a cup of pomegranate juice and have it with breakfast every morning. Two spoons of powdered dried pomegranate seeds stirred into a glass of warm milk, taken once or twice a day, also help.

A mixed vegetable drink combines different vegetables and is rich in vitamins, minerals, iron, vitamin C and fibre. This iron-rich drink is also very tasty.

To make it, blend one cup of banana, one cup of chopped bottle gourd, a quarter cup of amla (Indian gooseberry) and a tablespoon of honey with two cups of cold water in a mixer. Once fully blended, strain and serve.

Source: Samakal. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.