Question

1.Dana went to the doctor because she has been experiencing bleeding gums, pinpoint hemorrhages, and fatigue. Her doctor discovered that she had an iron-deficiency anemia. She did not understand the anemia because she said that she typically eats a bowl of iron-fortified cereal in the morning and has meat and rice for dinner several nights per week.. Which nutrient is Dana lacking and how can she improve her diet?

2.Nadine is pregnant and is trying to monitor her folate intake. She is eating high folate foods in addition to taking folate supplements, and she is having difficulty in determining how many dietary folate equivalents (DFE) she is consuming. Below is a list of her daily intake with respect to folate:

½ cup of cooked lentils (180 μg food folate)

½ cup of fresh orange juice (60 μg food folate)

folate supplement (200 μg)

How many DFEs is Nadine consuming? (Show all your work)

Answer 1

1. Iron is essential for producing hemoglobin which is needed to carry oxygen efficiently and for production of red blood cells .

Iron deficiency Anemia is caused when the body fails to absorb sufficient amount of iron from the food and it is the most common cause of Anemia.

Dana includes iron fortified cereals, meat and rice in her food .But for enhanced absorption of iron , she should include vitamin C( citrus fruits, bell peppers , tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower) in her diet combining with vegetarian sources of iron.

For example : spinach with lemon juice , Bell pepper bean salad .

Avoiding certain inhibtors like calcium from milk products and polyoxycarbonic acids ,phytic acids from cereal grains and seeds will improve the absorption of iron .