That Time of the Month: What to Eat During Menstruation

Once a month women menstruate, cleaning out the uterine lining packed with blood during ovulation. During this time of blood loss, iron levels in blood may be reduced below normal levels. I always managed to keep my iron levels high with a few healthy tricks to boost iron consumption and absorption. The recommended intake of iron for an active, menstruating woman is 18 mg per day.

Cast iron pots increase iron levels in foods. According to the Journal of Food Science, cast iron pots increase total iron level in foods cooked inside. The acidity level of foods greatly increases the amount of iron leeched from the cast iron pot. In the study, maize porridge with a higher acidic level increased iron levels in the food from 1.7 mg to nearly 27 mg in every 100 gram serving. Foods high in acid include tomatoes, lentils and most fruits.

Iron rich meats work wonders. Some meats are naturally higher in iron than others. During menstruation, choose meats rich in iron to replace iron lost. Meat with the highest iron levels includes liver, lean red meat and some forms of seafood. When choosing seafood, stick with tuna, salmon and shrimp. Egg yolks, lean chicken and lean turkey are a few additional options.

Dried beans are a hidden source of iron. There is nothing better than a warm bowl of chili or soup when suffering from menstrual cramping. While this comfort food may help ease the pain of cramping, it also packs quite the iron punch. Many people avoid using dried beans because of long preparation times, but some beans require little to no preparation like lentils. Lentils have 6.6 mg of iron per one-cup serving. Other beans high in iron include soybeans (8.8 mg per cup), black eyed peas (4.3 mg per cup) and navy beans (4.3 mg per cup). Easily prepare dried beans by placing in a large bowl filled with water and a dash of salt. Refrigerate overnight before cooking in a slow cooker the next day.

Eat dried fruits in moderation. Some iron-rich foods perfect for eating during menstruation are high in calories and natural sugars. The spike of natural sugars in dried fruits may help fight off fatigue common during menstruation. But, dried fruits have a lot of calories in a very small serving. Raisins are a common dried fruit that supplies 5 grams of iron per cup. However, one cup of raisins also packs 400 calories. Two better options are dried apricots and dried peaches. Dried apricots have 5.5 grams of iron per 17 halves with only 260 calories. Dried peaches have 6 grams of iron per 8 halves with only 262 calories.

Tomatoes are a woman's best friend.Tomatoes naturally increase the body's ability to absorb iron, so eat some tomatoes with every meal while menstruating and take advantage of the iron-rich foods you have added to your diet.

Consuming iron-rich foods is essential to the prevention of iron-deficiency anemia and blood-loss anemia. Symptoms of anemia include pale skin, constant fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath. Teen girls are especially susceptible to anemia caused by the menstrual cycle because the typical teen diet is not iron-rich. Recovery from and prevention of anemia starts with eating healthy, iron-rich foods as part of the normal diet.