Iron out risks

Anemia afflicts young children and women in their reproductive years when iron needs are high and iron losses coincide with menstrual losses. Sixty-seventy per cent of pregnant women in India suffer from nutritional anemia. It is much more common among women than men. However, people who eat a lot of junk food, chronic dieters and the elderly are at risk. Inadequate iron absorption, excessive use of antacids and low stomach acidity, especially among the elderly, are other factors which cause anemia.

Iron-rich food includes animal foods—meat, especially organ meat (liver), poultry and fish—and green leafy vegetables including cauliflower greens, mustard greens, radish leaves, amaranth (chaulai), lotus stem, black gram, black sesame, seaweed, soybean, water melon and some dry fruits like dates and sultanas.

Even if the iron content in our food is high, its absorption depends on whether it is heme iron (from animal food) or non-heme iron (present in plant food). Heme iron is easily absorbed by the body and it has been found that a diet high in animal food like meat and fish has higher absorption levels (10-20 per cent) compared to a vegetarian diet which has low levels of absorption (2-5%).

Iron is absorbed 2-3 times more efficiently when taken with food high in vitamin C like citrus fruits (oranges, lemon, guava), amla, sprouts and some vegetables like tomatoes and cauliflower. Iron intake can also be increased by cooking foods in cast iron vessels. Iron content of pasta sauce cooked in an iron vessel has been found to increase by 300 per cent.

Non-nutritional factors like tannins (tea, whole grains), phytates (whole grains, bran), calcium supplements, antacids and excessive use of zinc supplements have been found to interfere with iron absorption. In case of chronic anemia, iron supplements may be considered; but under professional guidance so that you avoid iron overload and associated complications.

Improve your iron status
Include iron rich food in your diet
Take lime water or amla with meals
Cook in cast iron vessels
Avoid taking calcium and iron supplements together
Avoid antacids with meals
Avoid tea with meals
Include sprouts
Sprinkle sesame seeds (kala til) over yogurt, breakfast cereals or salads
Include soy, seaweeds in soups and stir fry
Choose iron fortified foods

MYTH ONE: Bananas and apples are rich in iron because they turn brown.
Though apples and bananas are a store for different protective nutrients, the content of iron in apples (0.7 mg/100gm) and bananas (0.4 mg/100gms) is negligible when compared to some rich sources for iron like dry lotus stem (60.6 mg iron /100gms), rice flakes (20 mg iron /100g), radish leaves (18.0 mg iron/100gm), parsley (17.9 mg iron /100gms ) or bajra (8.0 mg iron /100gms).

MYTH TWO: Spinach is a good source of iron and eating lots of it helps in preventing anemia.

The iron content in spinach is not as high as it is believed to be. 100g of spinach contains a mere 1.14 mg iron whereas cauliflower greens contain 40 mg/100 gm, chaulai contains 20 mg/100g, radish leaves 18 mg; mustard greens (sarson saag) has 16.3 mg/100g, beetroot greens have 16.2 mg/100g and bathua contains 4.2 mg/100mg.
The writer is a former senior nutritionist at Escorts. She heads the Centre of Dietary Counselling and also runs a health food store. She feels that for complete well-being, one should integrate physical, mental and spiritual health. According to her: “To be healthy should be the ultimate goal for all.”