A clinic patient has a hemoglobin concentration of 10.8 g/dL and reports sticking to a strict vegetarian diet. Which of the following nutritional advice is appropriate?
A. The diet is providing adequate sources of iron and requires no changes.
B. The patient should add meat to her diet; a vegetarian diet is not advised.
C. The patient should use iron cookware to prepare foods, such as dark-green, leafy vegetables, and legumes, which are high in iron.
D. A cup of coffee or tea should be added to every meal
Correct Answer: C. The patient should use iron cookware to prepare foods, such as dark green, leafy vegetables, and legumes, which are high in iron.
Normal hemoglobin values range from 11.5-15.0. This vegetarian patient is mildly anemic. When food is prepared in iron cookware its iron content is increased.
Option A: In addition, dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, and legumes are high in iron.
Option B: Mild anemia does not require that animal sources of iron be added to the diet. Many non-animal sources are available.
Option D: Coffee and tea increase gastrointestinal activity and inhibit the absorption of iron.