Iron Rich Indian recipes | 270 Iron Rich Indian Foods, Iron Rich Vegetarian Diet | 

See our collection of Iron rich vegetarian recipes across India. 

Why is Iron important?

Iron is an important nutrient in out body. It helps our cells ‘breathe’. Iron (haeme) works with a protein (globin) to make hemoglobin in the red blood cells (RBC). The main function of haemoglobin is to carry oxygen to each and every cell of our body. Think of our blood stream as a highway and iron (present in haemoglobin) as a vehicle that carries oxygen from our lungs to the cells which need oxygen. Thus it is very easy to see why iron is vital for life.

Red Blood Cell (RBC)

How Much Iron do We Need?

The amount of iron we need depends on our age, gender and activity level. While the infants need 9 mg/ day, kids in the age group of 4-6 years need 13 mg/ day and 7 to 9 years require 16 mg/day – for their rapid growth and development. Boys and girls between the age of 10 to 12 years need approx. 21 to 32 mg/ day for maintaining their iron stores and haemoglobin levels.

An adult man’s need of iron is 28 mg/day, while a woman needs a little more i.e. 30 mg/day. This increased need for iron in a women is firstly because of the child bearing age and also to cover the losses from menstruation.

What is Iron Deficiency?

Iron deficiency is a condition where a person has inadequate stores of iron to meet body’s demands. It’s a condition where there is a decrease in the amount of red blood cells in the blood leading to too little iron. This is termed as “anemia’.

Symptoms of Iron Deficiency

Anemia is a silent attacker. Often we are not aware that we are suffering from it. Its main symptoms include…

1.    Constant fatigue

2.   Pale and dull skin

3.   Tongue appears redder than usual

4.   Minor breathlessness

5.    Poor concentration

6.   Loss of appetite

Iron Rich Diet, Tackling Iron Deficiency Anemia with Diet

“If you don’t eat enough leafy vegetables and greens, you will become weak and tired. There won’t be enough blood, and you will look pale and anaemic,” is something we have grown up hearing right from our childhood. Be it mom or be it grandma, they have always painted a very green and leafy picture of iron!

There is no doubt that green leafy veggies, especially spinach, are a great source of iron, but there is much more to it. Cereals like ragi and bajra, dals and pulses, nuts like walnuts and almonds, and oil seeds like garden cress seeds and sesame seeds, are fantastic sources of iron too.

For example, 1 tbsp of garden cress seeds (approx. 12 grams) yields 12 mg of iron which is approx. 40% of a days need of iron of an adult woman. Similarly 100 grams of matki (approx 1/2 cup) yields 9.5 mg of iron which about 32% of days need of iron of an adult woman.

Amongst green leafy vegetables, the not so commonly used cauliflower greens tops the chart of iron rich foods. 1 cup of chopped cauliflower greens yields about 10 mg of iron which is about 33% of days need of iron of an adult woman. Refer to our complete list of 35 Iron Rich Foods.

Top 35 Sources of Iron Rich Vegetarian Foods

Spinach Roti, Whole Wheat Palak Roti

Iron Rich Breakfast

Iron rich breakfat. Cooked in interesting ways, these provide variety and many tasty means to building iron stores and raise haemoglobin levels. Begin with a healthy breakfast which provide enough calories, protein and iron. You need not go out of your way to cook exclusive meals. Just use the regular ingredients to make delicacies like Moong Sprouts and Bajra Pessaruttu and Nachni Pancakes.

And when you have time on hand make these unique but enormously rich in iron khakhras  and carry them to work – Quinoa red Chawli leaves Khakhra. 3 khakhras in breakfast will fulfil 6% of your daily requirement.

Moong Sprouts and Bajra Pessaruttu

Another iron rich ingredient for breakfast is steel cut oats. Do not get mistaken for the rolled oats available in abundance in the supermarket. Check out only for steel cut oats and learn how to cook and store steel cut oats. These abound in fiber so they will satiate you for long hours also. Try our Apple Banana Steel Cut Oats recipe for an Iron rich breakfast. 

Iron Rich Recipes for Lunch and Dinner

Iron rich recipes for lunch and dinner. We have enough surprises for main meals too. Firstly since the staple includes rotis, parathas and rice, try and stock up your pantry with whole bajra, nachni, jowar, chana dal and their flours.

These will help you build your iron reserves. Use whole bajra to make Bajra, Whole Moong and Green Pea Khichdi and its flour to make a mouth-watering delicacy like Bajra and Cauliflower Roti. Nachni is another grain which is a must to be included in an iron rich diet. While not universally very popular, this grain helps build haemoglobin reserves. Try the Ragi Roti made with a variety of veggies and nachni flour.

Nachni Roti, Ragi Roti, How To Make Ragi Roti

Iron Rich Snacks

Snacks are loved by all… hence we have a huge collection for you to dig into and choose the option you would love to indulge into. Mixed Sprouts and Chana Dal Tikki, Ragi Upma, Cauliflower Greens and Besan Muthia, Buckwheat Dhoklas, Moong Dal and Cauliflower Greens Appe and so on…. A variety of sprouts and greens have been used in these recipes. Check out this section for more recipes….

Buckwheat Dhoklas

Sip on Halim Water for Enhanced Iron Reserves

Another best way to top up your iron stores is to sip on Halim Water in between meals. Halim, also called as garden cress seeds, is an extremely rich source of iron. All you need to do is just soak the seeds in water for 2 hours, add lemon juice to it and mix it well and enjoy it…

Lemon juice is added as it is a very good source of vitamin  C – a vitamin which helps in the absorption on iron. Remember to add vitamin C just before drinking, as it is a volatile nutrient and some amount is lost on exposure to air.

Halim Recipe, Garden Cress, Best Source Of Iron

Junk Foods made Iron Rich

With the recipes in this section you will overcome the notion that all junk foods are devoid of nutrients. We have catered to those who wish to enjoy junk foods in a healthy way.

Yes, you can build iron stores and prevent anemia with delicacies like Whole Wheat Spaghetti in Spinach Sauce and Methi and Moong Sprouts Wrap.  These are truly remarkable and a must try for all those who love variety in their meals.

Methi and Moong Sprouts Wrap

Pump up your iron levels with these wholesome recipes and bubble up with energy all day long!

Enjoy our Iron rich recipes and other Iron rich recipe articles given below. 

Follow our iron recipe Indian articles to improve the quality of your life. Eating iron rich foods is important for living a healthy life. Iron is essential for carrying oxygen throughout the body, and it helps to prevent anemia. Anemia can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and other health problems encountered by many. By eating iron rich foods, you can improve your energy levels, boost your immune system, and reduce your risk of developing anemia.

Tarladalal.com has spent over 20 years researching healthy Indian recipes. We would love to have your comments on this article.

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