Diet for Hemochromatosis

Meats

Eat red meat sparingly. Red meat contains heme iron, which your body readily absorbs. Since your body is already producing excess iron, you don't want to consume it in your diet. Stick with fish or chicken. Neither contains any heme iron. They contain a minimal amount of iron, and are a healthier choice for you anyway because of their lower fat content.

There is no limit to the amount of fruits and vegetables you can eat. Vegetables may contain iron, but they don't contain heme iron. In fact, spinach is an excellent choice because it stops the absorption of iron in your body. Add some fresh spinach to your salads or make a spinach quiche. Consume the daily recommended three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit.

High-fiber foods reduce the amount of iron absorbed by the body, the goal of a patient suffering from hemochromatosis. Nuts, beans, brown rice, and whole grains are rich in fiber. Eat nuts by themselves or throw them on top of your ice cream. Beans make a tasty a side dish or can be tossed into a salad. Lay a piece of boneless chicken breast on top of some brown rice or use the rice as a side dish for your fish. As for the grains, you can find a delicious cereal such as Frosted Mini Wheats which contains the grains that are high in fiber.

Of course you will want to drink a lot of water to keep your body as flushed of toxins as you can. There are two other beverages that are perfect for an individual suffering from hemochromatosis: coffee and tea. These beverages contain an ingredient called tannins, which stop the absorption of iron. A cup or two of coffee or tea each day will help you keep your hemochromatosis under control.