Iron Rich Foods: 5 Foods to Add to Your Diet

1. Iron Rich Foods: 5 Foods to Add to Your Diet Iron is an extremely critical micronutrient for the human body. Iron helps form and oxygenate our blood cells and haemoglobin, helps convert food to energy, helps maintain a normal immune system, and contributes to normal cognitive function. Depending on age, gender, and several other factors, each person’s iron needs may vary, but the human body, on an average needs about 18 mg per day. This requirement can be fully met by a balanced diet. But sadly, it is estimated that globally, 1.62 billion people are anaemic. The highest prevalence is in preschool-age children and the lowest prevalence is in men. A special mention goes out to women of the reproductive age who lose blood every month and are at the highest risk of becoming anaemic. All in all, it is important to ensure that you are eating these 5 foods week after week to meet your iron needs: 1.Spinach: Well, my most favourite vegetable! But I know that not a lot of people can say that abut spinach. However, I hope that what you’re about to read changes your mind. Spinach is low on calories, rich in iron, calcium, vitamin C, and powerful antioxidants that do everything from fighting inflammation in the body to reducing your risk of cancer. So, are you ready to reconsider? 2.Legumes: Thankfully, Indians have legumes and lentils on a daily basis. Our everyday diets tend to be low on meat and rich in vegetarian sources of iron, magnesium, and potassium. Some of the most common types of legumes are beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas and soybeans. 3.Pumpkin seeds: The best snack in the world, seriously. Pumpkin seeds are so nutritious! They’re rich in iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, and vitamin K.Just a fistful of this roasted goodness each day when you feel hungry for a snack and your body will thank you. This food is a guilt-free guilty pleasure.

2. 4.Broccoli: Broccoli not only helps you meet your daily iron requirement, but also gives you ample vitamin C, that which helps your body absorb the iron even better. Broccoli is also rich in vitamin K and fibre. So, eat up! 5.Dark chocolate: Some varieties of dark chocolate (with at least 45-59% cacao) have up to 11.8 gms of iron per 100 grams. It is also a rich source of magnesium (about 200 mg per 100gms), a nutrient that is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heart beat steady, and helps bones remain strong. It also helps regulate blood glucose levels and aid in the production of energy and protein. All in all, I do not recommend chomping away on an entire bar of dark chocolate, but a cube or two of it every now and then should push you forward towards your iron goal. It is advisable that instead of having a giant serving size of only one of the above foods, you mix and match a little bit of this and that, in order to get wide variety of nutrients from your diet. For more health, wellness and fitness articles visit- healthhunt.in