Carotene-Rich Veggies Decrease Anemia

TAGUIG CITY, PhilippinesGreen and yellow veggies are not just colorful to look at, theyre good for you, too. Filipino researchers found eating carotene-rich yellow and green leafy vegetables improved the total-body vitamin A pool size and hemoglobin concentration, and decreased anemia rates with no effect on iron deficiency or iron-deficiency anemia rates (Eu J Clin Nutr. 2010;64:468474). A total 104 Schoolchildren, aged 9 to 12 years, received standardized meals containing 4.2mg of provitamin A carotenoids/d (mainly beta-carotene) from yellow and green leafy vegetables and at least 7g dietary fat/d. The meals were provided three times a day, 5 days a week, for nine weeks at school.

After nine weeks, the mean total-body vitamin A pool size increased twofold, and serum beta-carotene concentration increased fivefold. Blood hemoglobin and zinc protoporphyrin increased. The prevalence of anemia decreased from 12.5 to 1.9 percent. There were no significant changes in the prevalence of iron deficiency or iron-deficiency anemia.