Iron Rich Foods Every Indian Mom Must Include This Monsoon

I’m sure you’ve all grown up watching Popeye downing his can of spinach and muscles bulging and giving him super strength. Honestly, my son started eating his greens after watching Popeye. To date, any green leafy vegetable is Popeye spinach for him. That was my way of making sure that everyone in the family eats some greens every day. Leafy greens are packed with vitamins and iron which are essential for our body.

But once the monsoon season arrives, I get a little apprehensive about loading my food basket with greens. Green leaves are grown in patches that are filthy and getting the bacteria and dirt out of them is a chore. The monsoon brings so many illnesses with it like typhoid, E Coli, gastrointestinal conditions etc. So it’s recommended that we give leafy vegetables a miss during the rainy season. But we still need to eat iron-rich food to keep our bodies healthy.

Why Is Iron Important For Us?

Iron is an important mineral that produces haemoglobin in your red blood cells that carry oxygen from organ to organ. Without enough iron, your body cannot produce enough haemoglobin. And as a result, you might feel lethargic and lack the energy to carry out daily tasks. If kids don’t get enough iron it interferes with their brain development, slows down their growth and they become lethargic. So making sure they don’t get anaemic is extremely important.

Tip: Iron and Vitamin C go hand in hand. So if you’re eating food that is rich in iron, include Vitamin C-rich food with it like tomatoes, oranges, broccoli and strawberries for increased iron absorption.

If you are a parent then you are probably racing against time to get everything sorted. We’ve all been there. Why not let us help you out with your mealtimes!

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What Iron-Rich Food Will Keep The Family Healthy This Monsoon?

Lentils

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All the dals – chana dal, masoor dal, moong dal, urad dal, arhar dal – we eat are a great source of iron, protein and fibre. Take your pick from the huge variety of lentils available in our country. Kids should have a bowl of lentils a day. If they don’t like eating dal just like that, you should make dal ka parathas and make it into a roll. Since they can’t see the dal they normally don’t have a problem eating the paratha.