Are all vegetarians anemic?

Question

Is it possible that because i am a vegetarian that i my be anemic?
I haven't gone to a docter in the 6 months i have been vegetarian, so I am waiting to ask her what vitamins to take. What are the symptoms of a anemmia? Also can you just become anemic after converting to a vegetarian?

Answer 1

Not all veggies are anemic. I was actually anemic before I became a vegetarian. I do eat a lot of iron-rich foods, but I still take iron pills.
Some veggies do experience anemia once they make the lifestyle change. Some don't.
Symptoms include (but are not exclusive to): dizziness, nausea, perpetual tiredness, feeling cold often, dark circles around the eyes, etc.
Good luck!

Answer 2

I do not understand why doctors and nurses receive so little nutrition education. Did you know that doctors on average spend about 3 hours of their higher education on studying nutrition? No, you aunt is wrong. To say that all vegetarians are anemic is to ignore that there is iron in foods other then meat. There is no difference in anemia rates between vegetarians and omnivores. In both groups pre-menopause women are going to have more problems with anemia, because they lose iron every month during their period. Green vegetables, beans, whole grains and nuts are foods that are rich in iron. Iron is better absorbed if you eat/drink vitamin C at the same time. Example: fruit and oatmeal, stir fried veggies over quinoa or whole grain rice. In the source section I've left some studies your aunt can look up if she desires. Brittle bone disease is a genetic condition, not associated with diet. Likewise the size of your bones is genetic. I assume your aunt is actually talking about osteoperosis. which is funny, because omnivores are much more likely to have a problem with osteoperosis then vegetarians are. One of the major problems is too much dairy and protein; the body only needs a certain amount (Americans get about 2 to 3 times as much protein as they need) and in order for you body to deal with the extra is strips your bones of their nutrients. Some studies have even stated that vegetarians need less calcium then omnivores, because we get it from a better source. Green veggies and beans are a good source of calcium. So are many seeds. Did you know that a tablespoon of Sesame seeds has almost as much calcium as a glass of milk?

Answer 3

Vegetarian or not, if you eat a deficient diet, you can be anemic or have many other problems. Unless you are vegan, you shouldn't need vitamins if your diet is balanced and adequate, but you seem to need information on what is a healthy diet, meatless or not.

There is more than one kind of anemia and symptoms vary, but only a blood test can confirm the condition, which is a symptom itself, not a disease. It happens two ways: too few red blood cells or not enough hemoglobin in the red cells themselves, and you can have both problems. Iron and other nutrients are required to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to your tissues.

Common symptoms are being dizzy, cold, weak, skin that is pale, shortness of breath, rapid pulse, poor tolerance of exercise and having pale gums and mucosa. You really need to see your doctor and stop guessing.There are many other causes of anemia in addition to diet, and some are quite serious.

Answer 4

Can be possible. Being a vegan does not mean that you would be anemic. Typical symptoms would include fatigue and feeling tired. Best source of iron is spinach, and those that turn dark after cutting them, like apples, bananas, eggplant, etc.

Answer 5

First let's clarify. Anemia is a disease. Not all people with a low iron count are anemic.

Instances of low iron are the same for both meat eaters and vegetarians. The link being dairy. Dairy inhibits iron absorption.

I had a friend diagnosed with anemia. Her doc told her she MUST eat a burger a week. Regardless of that and blood transfusions, she got worse. She's better now that she's off dairy.

Answer 6

No, I'm not. Of the plant foods, good sources include legumes, whole grains (including wholemeal bread), wheat germ, oatmeal, green leafy vegetables, peas, broccoli, potatoes, nuts, seeds, peaches and dried fruit. There are also fortified cereals that contain iron and some even offer 100% RDA.

Answer 7

Actually I don't know any anemic vegetarians. So no, not all vegetarians are anemic.

Answer 8

People with iron-poor diets are at risk for anemia.

Although most Americans probably consume too much iron in their diets, some people may be at risk for diet-related iron deficiencies:

* People whose diets are high in processed foods and lack any meat.
* Strict vegetarians. Vegetarians who avoid all animal products may have a slightly higher risk for deficiencies in iron and some B vitamins. Although dried beans and green vegetables often contain iron, it is less easily absorbed from plants than from meat. Fortunately, most commercial cereals are fortified with vitamin B12 and folic acid (the synthetic form of folate). Studies on the prevalence of anemia in vegetarians are weak. A 2001 study of British resident reported that anemia was more common in vegetarians than in meat eaters. One 1999 study found no significant differences in hemoglobin measurements between vegetarians and non-vegetarians, but a large percentage of both groups (18% of vegetarians and 13% of non-vegetarians) had low iron stores.

Answer 9

Anemia is due to low iron levels in the blood.

Eat vegetables with high iron, such as spinach and you will be fine.

Don't rely on supplements to give you nutrients. Rely on fresh fruits and vegetables.

Answer 10

i heard you can get anemmia from not getting enough b12
but it won't kick in until you have not eat any b12 for 2 yrs, and even then it comes on very slow, and chances are you're eating small amount of b12 anyways, i won't worry about it
just take multi vitiman, it'll cover all your bases
take some flex seed oil, they are good