The nurse is counseling a patient with anemia on iron-rich foods. Which of the following foods should the patient be encouraged to eat?

Explanation

• Foods rich in heme iron include beef or chicken liver, clams, oysters, and meat.

• Foods rich in non-heme iron include beans, apricots, potatoes, broccoli, tofu, and spinach.

• Heme is a chemical compound found in hemoglobin and aids in the transport of gases. It consists of iron and is responsible for the red pigment of blood. Heme is converted into bilirubin at the end of the life span of a RBC.

• Tomatoes, cheese, bananas, and rice do not contain high amounts of iron.

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