Iron out your anaemia worries

Anaemia a condition where the red blood cells RBCs or haemoglobin levels decrease in the human body is on the rise in India thanks to working professionalsrsquo odd hours irregular eating habits and a frenetic pace of life According to survey conducted by The World Health Organisation WHO two billion people mdash over 30 per cent of the worldrsquos population mdash are anaemicEat dry fruits such as figs peanuts black raisins every two hours to not feel tiredEat your way to good healthDr Avinash Vaidya a general physician says ldquoAnaemia is of two types mdash iron deficiency anaemia and pernicious anaemia While the former is caused by lack of iron in the diet the latter is due to the deficiency of Vitamin B12 in the human body The most common symptoms are dizziness fatigue increase in heart rate and pale skinrdquoEat dry fruits such as figs peanuts black raisins every two hours to not feel tiredSome of the commonly known food items which helps people suffering with anaemia include beetroot dates spinach pomegranate among othersHere are some lesserknown but equally productive super foods that can work wonders for youEating Vitamin C rich food accelerates the absorption of iron in the bodyRaisinrsquo your blood levelsFood technologist and nutritionist Swati Singh says black raisins are a higher source of iron than dates She suggests ldquoWash and soak 1012 black raisins overnight and have it early morning every day to increase your haemoglobin level It helps to detoxify your body and also increases your immunity levelrdquoFruits boost energy levels and regularise vitamin and mineral levels in the bodyGo green with veggiesSingh recommends that rather than having just spinach you must include other seasonal leafy vegetables such as scallions or spring onions raddish leaves and colocasia to increase the iron levels in your bodySomething fishyLamb chicken and fish liver are an excellent source of iron and Vitamin BComplex and are ideal to boost your iron levels suggests SinghViva vitaminsNutritionist Naini Setalvad says that in order to ensure that iron is well absorbed in your body you should increase your intake of Vitamin C ldquoTomatoes lemons oranges and watermelons are high in vitamin C and are good for yourdquo she addsSingh adds that vegetable juice is also rich in vitamins ldquoMix the pulp of beetroot tomato and carrot in equal proportion with cumin powder black pepper and salt and have this concoction after very three days This will increase your haemoglobin levels You can also experiment with beetroot and spinach souprdquo suggests SinghIron out your worriesEarlier people would often cook their meals in iron vessels Over a period of time they were replaced with steel utensils and nonstick cookware But anaemic patients are recommended to cook their meals in iron vessels ldquoYou can also prepare the tadka or seasoning in an iron ladle keep it for some time and then add it to your vegetables Since the seasoning is heated in an ironbased utensil the nutrients are easily absorbed in the bloodrdquo recommends SinghThe twain shall never meetSetalvad warns that ironrich food substances should never be combined with dairy products as the effect of iron elements is reduced by 50 per cent ldquoRather than having the usual palak paneer opt for palak mushroom or palak chanardquo she addsSnack attackSnack on figs rajgira jaggery and sesame ladoos peanut chikki and almonds every two hours These products are not only an instant source of iron but also boost your energy levels