Hematologic Disorders and Anemia Q 27

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Which of the following foods would the nurse encourage the mother to offer to her child with iron deficiency anemia?

  

     A. Rice cereal, whole milk, and yellow vegetables

     B. Potato, peas, and chicken

     C. Macaroni, cheese, and ham

     D. Pudding, green vegetables, and rice

    

    

Correct Answer: B. Potato, peas, and chicken

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Potato, peas, chicken, green vegetables, and rice cereal contain significant amounts of iron and therefore would be recommended. Meat and poultry contain large amounts of heme iron, which is easy for the body to digest. Beef, organ meats, and liver in particular have a lot of iron. A 3-ounce serving of beef liver, for example, contains 5 mg of iron.

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Option A: Milk and yellow vegetables are not good iron sources. Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, and spinach are among the best vegetable options for iron. A half-cup of boiled, drained spinach contains about 3 mg of iron.

Option C: Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk, and yogurt, although rich in calcium, have negligible iron content. It is important to eat a variety of foods every day. Organ meats like liver and giblets are especially rich in iron. For example, 113 grams of chicken giblets has 6.1 mg of iron, making it an excellent source.

Option D: Rice by itself also is not a good source of iron. Per the USDA, raisin bran has 9.39 mg of iron per cup, and that makes it an excellent source. It is also an excellent source of fiber, a common characteristic of fortified cereals.

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