A woman who has been a vegetarian for a long time was diagnosed with severe anemia! Is it really healthy to be a vegetarian for a long time?

Recently, the news that "a woman who has been a vegetarian for a long time was diagnosed with severe anemia" has attracted widespread attention. In recent years, the woman has always felt powerless at work. She feels exhausted just sitting in the office all day. She has felt sick since she was a child when she saw meat, so she basically does not eat meat, not even eggs. She thinks there is nothing wrong with vegetarianism, and many celebrities are healthy eating only vegetarian food.

In today's society, more and more people choose vegetarianism for various reasons, but is it really healthy to be a vegetarian for a long time? Let's take a deeper look at the relationship between vegetarianism and anemia.

1. The harm of anemia should not be underestimated

Anemia refers to a common syndrome in which the red blood cell volume of the human body's peripheral blood is below the lower limit of the normal range. Severe anemia can cause many serious harms to the body. First, patients will feel extremely tired and weak, which seriously affects their daily life and work efficiency. Secondly, anemia can cause symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and shortness of breath, especially after activities. Long-term anemia may also cause damage to important organs such as the heart and liver, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, for women, anemia may also affect the menstrual cycle, leading to problems such as reduced menstrual volume and amenorrhea.

2. Why is long-term vegetarianism likely to cause anemia?

Iron deficiency

Iron is a key raw material for making hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen to various parts of the body. Animal foods are rich in heme iron, which has a higher absorption rate. In contrast, the iron in vegetarian foods is mainly non-heme iron, which has a lower absorption rate. People who eat vegetarian food for a long time are prone to insufficient iron intake or poor absorption, which can cause iron deficiency anemia.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 is essential for maintaining the normal function of the nervous system and promoting the production of red blood cells. This vitamin is mainly found in animal foods, such as meat, eggs, dairy products, etc. If long-term vegetarians do not pay attention to supplementing vitamin B12, they are prone to deficiency, which can lead to megaloblastic anemia.

Inadequate protein intake

Protein is an important component of body cells and is also necessary for the production of hemoglobin. Animal foods are usually rich in high-quality protein, while vegetarian foods have a relatively low protein content and are not as good as animal proteins. If people who have been vegetarians for a long time do not consume enough protein, it will also affect the production of red blood cells and increase the risk of anemia.

3. How to prevent anemia in vegetarians

Reasonable food combination

Vegetarians should pay attention to the diversification and reasonable combination of food to ensure adequate intake of nutrients. They can eat more foods rich in iron, vitamin B12 and protein, such as beans, nuts, green leafy vegetables, whole-wheat products, etc. At the same time, they can pair some foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, etc., to promote iron absorption.

Proper nutritional supplementation

For long-term vegetarians, it is necessary to supplement some nutrients appropriately. You can take supplements containing iron, vitamin B12 and protein under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist. In addition, you can also choose some vegetarian foods that are fortified with nutrients, such as iron-fortified cereals and vitamin B12-fortified soy products.

Regular medical check-ups

Vegetarians should have regular physical examinations to promptly detect and deal with health problems such as anemia. If symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and dizziness occur, they should seek medical attention in a timely manner and undergo blood tests to determine whether they have anemia.

Although long-term vegetarianism has certain benefits, it also has some health risks, such as anemia. For those who are ready to choose vegetarianism, they should also fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of vegetarianism and make a reasonable diet plan under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist.