Eat plenty of iron-rich foods, such as apples, bananas, apricots and plums; vegetables such as asparagus, squash, yams, broccoli and leafy greens; red meat; tofu; and whole grains.

Eat and drink vitamin C-rich foods and drinks. Vitamin C helps increase iron absorption.

Avoid drinking tea or coffee with your meals, as they can affect iron absorption.

Omitting sugar or decreasing its consumption also helps increasing iron absorption.

Get enough vitamin B12 and folic acid in your diet.

Add dried fruits, such as raisins and prunes, to your diet. They are good sources of iron.

Eat a balanced and healthy diet that contains at least 10 mg of iron per day (for males) or 18 mg per day (for females). Iron-rich foods include eggs, whole grains, beans and most meats and vegetables.

If you are pregnant or have heavy periods, increase the amount of iron you consume. Pregnant women should get 30 mg of iron daily. Women need to be careful to monitor the amount of iron in their diets because they have a greater risk of becoming anaemic.

Double your daily intake of iron if you are a vegetarian. There are two types of iron and the kind that is found in animal products is much easier for your body to process. Peanuts and cashews are good sources of iron for vegetarians.

Ask your doctor about taking iron supplements if you've had problems with iron deficiency anemia in the past. But beware of overloading your body with iron as it can cause serious damage to the liver and the heart.

Breast-feeding is the best way to prevent iron deficiency anaemia in babies. If breast-feeding is not an option, or is stopped before 9-12 months, then iron-fortified formulas, which contain added iron, should be given to baby, after consulting a paediatric.

After breast-feeding is stopped, a baby should be fed iron-rich cereals.

Female athletes and endurance athletes are a very high risk group due to their excessive use of their red blood cells. So, red meat is prescribed to fulfill the demands of the body in such cases.