Did you know Anemia can be caused by a lack of riboflavin, folate, B12, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and possibly even zinc? Often times anemia is due to an imbalance of these nutrients. This is especially the case if you are imbalanced in your vitamin B12 and folate, or more specifically if you are too high in folic acid from supplements, and too low in vitamin B12. This is more likely the cause for vegans to be anemic, rather than a lack of iron.
A good method to manage this is to choose two options per a meal, and consume the lemonade at the same time you eat your spinach or other dark leafy greens. Although if you consume a high vitamin C food within 3-5 hours of your iron food, the C and iron will still make contact due to gastric emptying rate.
Avocados (high in Riboflavin, vitamin E, folate)
Spinach (2 cups a day minimum will reach at least 40% of your daily riboflavin needs, iron, folate), or you can consume lentils in place of spinach
Other dark leafy greens, especially beet greens (riboflavin, folate)
1/2 whole papaya or 8 oz carrot juice (vitamin A, vitamin C)
Cremini Mushrooms (vitamin D, riboflavin)
Fish (high in vitamin D, riboflavin, B12) or 30 minutes of bright sunlight on all of legs and arms
1 lemonade made with 2-4 T lime or lemon juice per day (vitamin C)
Pumpkin Seeds (high in zinc and vitamin E)
For more on the science of these mechanisms, refer to either of these posts:
OR:
https://thecarmencooks.com/staging/3924/wp-admin/post.php?post=1647&action=edit
