Surprising Ways How Bringing Iron Utensils Back In Your Kitchen Can Help You

Cooking food in iron utensils is an effective way to up your iron intake

Did you know... those iron kadhais, karchis and all other iron vessels in your kitchen are hidden treasures. Not only are their healthier cooking wares as compared to the non-stick alternatives, they are also add to your daily intake or iron and can help those with iron deficiency and anaemia. Elaborating on the importance of cooking food in iron vessels is celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar. She dedicates the first week of her Fitness Project 2021 to the goodness or iron vessels, and why they need to make a comeback in your kitchen.

Why iron vessels need to make a comeback in your kitchens

The pandemic is responsible for 360 degrees change in our lifestyle. From causing weight gain to disrupting sleep schedule and resulting in a dip in our energy levels, there are several ways that the imposed lockdown affected us.

Also read: Add These Iron-Rich Foods To Your Diet To Prevent Anemia

All of this has resulted in making us look older than our age. The pandemic also taught us the importance of having optimum oxygen in the body, says Diwekar in the video.

On the other hand, Kids as young as eight or nine years old are now having grey hair. Infertility issues, PCOS and thyroid are ailments which have become massively common over the past 10 years.

"The one common factor which is responsible for all of these conditions is deficiency of micronutrients, and more importantly, the deficiency of haemoglobin in the body," she says during her live session Facebook and Instagram.

Cooking food in iron vessels is healthier than cooking food in non-stick cookware
Photo Credit: iStock

Cooking food in iron vessels is one natural way of meeting the deficiency of micronutrients, improving oxygen levels in the body, and naturally increasing the haemoglobin in your blood.

Also read: Iron Deficiency: Watch Out For These Signs And Symptoms; Know Treatment Options For Anemia

• Having optimum level of haemoglobin (Hb) in the body helps with adequate supply of oxygen to the brain and the body.
• Low Hb levels can also be the reason why you are not getting results from your daily workout.
• Low Hb levels can make you feel low. It has been linked to mental health issues, says Diwekar.
• If you are planning to go for Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) for pregnancy, or have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diabete or PCOD, you need adequate Hb.
• Hb can also prevent hair loss and help you have thick and lustrous hair.

So, make sabzis in iron kadhai, use iron tawa to make rotis and use iron karchi for cooking. "Iron begins to add itself to the food that is being cooked in iron vessels," the Mumbai-based nutritionist explains.

These utensils are most likely to already be in your kitchen. Make sure you use the right size of utensil with respect to the quantity of food that you have to cook. You need to have kadhais or cookers of different sizes for this purpose.

Also read: 4 Effective Ways To Overcome Iron Deficiency

(Rujuta Diwekar is a nutritionist based in Mumbai)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.