10 Best Iron Rich Indian Foods You Must Add In Your Diet

Exhausted despite considerable sleep? Or maybe you feel that your skin is duller, your hair weaker and you are simply not yourself? The suspicious offender might be as innocent as low iron.

Iron is what keeps you going, it carries oxygen to your cells, fuels your energy, and keeps your body feeling strong. And yet, so many of us don’t get enough of it, especially women, vegetarians, and anyone constantly on the go.

The best part? You don’t have to spend a lot of money on everyday supplements. Delicious iron-enriched Indian foods are already available in your kitchen to restore your energy, make your skin radiate, and keep your immunity up.

In this blog, we will show you 10 of the best iron rich Indian foods that you can simply include in your meals, as being healthy and happy does not have to be a complex task.

Why Do You Need Iron Rich Indian Foods?

Iron is the fuel of feeling alive in your body basically. It keeps you in good mood, clears your head and even ensures your skin and hair remains healthy. The symptoms manifest quickly when you are not getting enough; you feel perpetually tired, out of breath after walking a short distance, dizzy or vertigin, or you lose more hair than you normally do.

That is why it is so important to add iron-rich foods to your plate. To vegetarians, it is the simplest method of filling the void without using supplements. Pregnant women require that added energy to maintain the health of both the mother and the child. And when you exercise, your muscles will appreciate the additional iron that contributes to strength, endurance and recovery. Stated succinctly, iron is the silent ally that keeps you going, and you could find it in your kitchen as long as you know where to find it.

10 Best Iron Rich Indian Foods

Ragi (Finger Millet)

Ragi will come to your rescue when you need stamina and strength. This old grain is loaded with iron, calcium, and fibre, and is healthy across the board. You can make it into soothing porridges or fluffy dosas or even bake cookies using it as a healthy snack.

Chickpeas Leaves (Methi)

Methi can be bitter to some extent, but the gains are too sweet. Iron-rich and very metabolism friendly, they are commonly used in foods such as parathas, theplas, or a simple aloo-methi sabzi. Not to mention that they are said to contribute to the normalisation of blood sugar.

Pumpkin Seeds (Kaddu Ke Beej)

In need of a fast iron pick but a treat at the same time? Pumpkin seeds are the answer. They are small energy sources that are crunchy, rich in healthy fats, and can be added to pretty much anything, be it in a smoothie, salad, or even sprinkled over your curries.

Beetroot

This colourful vegetable is known to have blood-boosting magic. Beetroot has iron and folate which aid in the circulation and haemoglobin. You can toss it in salads, juice it out, or sauté it into a colourful sabzi and feel grateful to your body.

Lentils (Dal)

Comfort food that also happens to be good for you, dal is an everyday staple loaded with iron and protein. Whether it’s moong, masoor, or chana dal, a steaming bowl with rice or roti is not just filling but also a great way to keep your energy up.

Dates (Khajoor)

Need a natural energy lift? Dates are chewy, sweet, and contain a lot of iron, which is why they are the best fast snack. They can be consumed by themselves, can be added to smoothies or can be used to naturally sweeten your desserts.

Spinach (Palak)

One of the most effective methods to get your fair share of iron is palak, which, when taken together with vitamin C, becomes more effective. Boiled palak and palak paneer to a basic stir-fry, this green leafy vegetable is easy to add to daily dishes and enhances immunity and skin condition.

Jaggery (Gur)

Imagine jaggery is the sweet treat of nature with its advantages. It is a traditional favourite, a natural source of iron which also aids in digestion, and makes you warm in winter. Sweeten it, tea, or just take a bite of a small piece after eating.

Sesame Seeds (Til)

Sesame seeds are small yet very powerful as they contain iron and healthy fats. They are particularly good in winter when crushed into til laddus or chikkis, although you can also sprinkle them over your stir-fries, rotis or salads to give them a nutty crunch.

What Are the Signs of Iron Deficiency?

Once you do not get enough iron to your body, it begins to send warning signs that are easily overlooked unless one pays attention. Watch these typical symptoms:

• Constant tiredness and low energy
• Pale or dull skin
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Hair fall and brittle nails
• Frequent headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Cold hands and feet

Tests should be conducted periodically to rule out iron deficiency but when the following symptoms are observed it is better to visit a medical professional or a doctor so that they can give appropriate treatment.

How to increase the iron absorption?

Eating iron-rich foods is only half the story, your body also needs to absorb that iron properly. A few simple tweaks can make a big difference:

• Food sources of vitamin C including lemon, orange, amla, tomatoes, and bell peppers combine with food sources of iron like spinach, pork, meat, and fish to help your body absorb iron better.
• Cook in cast iron pans as it will automatically add more iron to the food you make.
• Tea and coffee should not be taken with food because these tannins prevent the uptake of iron.
• Add iron to protein by adding pulses, eggs, dairy and plant sources of iron.
• Presoaking, germinating or fermenting grains and pulses is a method of minimising compounds that interfere with absorption.

These little, daily practices will see to it that your body uses up what iron it already has.

Iron Needs for Different Lifestyles

Iron demands are not universal and therefore, vary with your age, gender and the lifestyle you lead.

• Vegans and vegetarians need extra iron since plant sources aren’t absorbed as easily.
• Females of reproductive age need higher doses of iron to compensate the monthly menstrual loss of iron.
• Expectant women require an increased amount of iron to sustain mother and child.
• Sportsmen and people who love fitness use up more iron because their bodies need more oxygen since the muscles are in need.
• Children and adolescents require lots of iron to power growth spurts and brain growth.
• The elderly have iron requirements, because the body simply does not absorb iron as well as it does in old age.
• When you know what your body actually needs, then it is a lot easier to make meals to keep your energy levels high and your health stable.

Sample Daily Meal Plan With Iron Rich Indian Foods

Breakfast

Wake up by a ragi dosa or hot ragi porridge, with a glass of fresh orange squash juice. The ragi provides you with a good boost of iron, which is enhanced by the vitamin C present in the juice.

Mid-Morning Snack

Take some dates and pumpkin seeds. They are fast, lightweight, and provide you with a constant energy throughout the day.

Lunch

And the traditional dal and steamed rice or rotis with a spinach-based sabzi is the best iron food combination. Remember to squeegee some lemon to get your body to absorb all of it.

Evening Snack

A tasty dish that will help in curbing hunger and also provides more iron is roasted black chana or a til (sesame seed) laddu. Combine it with a fruit such as guava or amla to get an added dose of vitamin C.

Dinner

Make dinner light with beetroot curry or methi thepla and finish it off with curd and a small piece of jaggery. It is healthy, tasty and maintains a good level of iron.

Before Bed

Before going to sleep, you can take a warm glass of turmeric milk, with a pinch of jaggery, this would be relaxing and your iron levels would remain constant.

Also Read: 10 Best Indian Vegetarian Food For Vitamin B12

Final Words

Iron is a tiny nutrient that can alter how you feel on a day to day. It is the unspoken star, which helps your body to improve energy and concentration, maintain your skin, hair, and immunity, and so on. The best thing is that you do not need to spend money on some expensive supplements, your own kitchen is already equipped with tasty Indian foods that are rich in iron which can do the job.

You can begin with a handful of these foods in your daily menu, pair and combine them with foods that contain vitamin C, and do some easy modifications such as cooking on cast iron pans. But these small differences will over time make you stronger, healthier and more energised.

FAQs on Iron Rich Indian Foods