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Did you know thatiron-deficiency anemia, a common condition in which blood lacks healthy red blood cells, affects more than 1.2 billion peopleglobally? TheAmerican Society of Hematologynotes that about 3 million Americans have this condition.
You may beiron deficientif you are constantly tired, irritable, feel cold when others are not, feel dizzy, have headaches or have brittle nails and hair. If you are concerned about your iron levels, talk to your doctor. They can order a blood test to check your iron levels to see if you have anemia.
The Best Cast-Iron Skillets, According to Our Test Kitchen
1.Cook Foods in Cast-Iron Cookware
While you may benefit from using cast-iron pans and pots, how much iron is absorbed depends on a fewfactors, including your age and the size and age of your cookware.
Thecooking time and the type of foodcooked in the cast-iron ware matters too. You may reap more iron from simmering a moist food, such as spaghetti sauce, in a cast-iron pot than from frying meat in a cast-iron pan.
Still, from a culinary standpoint, certain foods such as tomatoes and tomato-based products, wine and vinegar may not be well suited for cooking in regular cast-iron cookware. These naturally acidic foods may weaken the seasoned coating on the porous cast-iron surface, resulting in metallic flavors leaching into foods which might make the dishes less appetizing.
2.Use a Cast-Iron Ingot
On the other hand, if you find the regular upkeep of cast-iron cookware to be a hassle, or if you’re not ready to invest in a whole line of new cookware solely to raise your iron levels, then you may want to explore the use of the Lucky Iron Fish.
This fish-shaped cast-iron ingot is meant to imitate the iron-releasing mechanism from cast-iron cookware. Recentresearchsuggests that this affordable alternative may help you absorb iron and might reverse or even help prevent iron deficiency.
However, the use of this fish-shaped cast-iron ingot remainscontroversial, especially for those who have genetic hemoglobin disorders, as it may be ineffective in increasing iron levels.
Additionally, children may be at most risk foriron toxicityif they eat too much food cooked in iron. Moreresearchis needed to confirm the safety and effectiveness of cast-iron cookware and ingots to boost iron levels.
3.Pair Iron-Rich Plant Foods with Vitamin C-Rich Foods
A recent study fromtheJournal of Nutritionnotes that the rise of iron-deficiency anemia in the U.S. might be related to the lower concentration of iron in food products and a shift in American eating habits toward more plant-based eating patterns. Plant-based eating patterns can offer a lot ofhealth benefits, like promoting weight loss and reducing cancer risk, and you can meet your iron needs in a plant-based way with a little know-how.
While plant-based proteins have iron, they contain a type callednonheme ironthat is not as easily absorbed as the heme iron found in animal products. On the bright side, pairing vitamin C-rich foods with iron-rich plant foods can increase iron uptake. OurWhite Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchiis a perfect example, combining nonheme iron from white beans with vitamin C-abundant tomatoes. You can also follow ouranemia meal planand get inspiration from ourrecipesto up your iron intake.
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