Top 10 Iron Rich Foods in India – NFCI

Introduction

Want to know about iron-rich foods in India? First, we need to understand that our blood acts as a delivery agent for all the nutrients from the food we eat to other body parts, such as the heart, lungs, hand muscles, etc.

Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a healthy diet that provides our body with all essential nutrients. One such key nutrient is iron, which plays a crucial role in oxygen transport, energy production, and overall well-being.

Iron is a vital component in the body’s machinery. It plays an important role in oxygen transport throughout the body, energy production, immune function, and overall body functioning.

Thus, iron helps us maintain a regular haemoglobin level (the same pigment that gives your blood its red colour). Iron-rich foods are one of the important foods that you need to add to your daily diet in India.

Decreased hemoglobin levels can lead to fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, dizziness, and other problems.
To prevent these problems in our lives, we will explore some iron-rich Indian foods in this blog.

These foods will ensure that you always have enough iron in your body and make you healthy. So, let’s start the discussion on an iron food list that you can add to your daily diet plan.

8 Iron Rich Indian Foods | Iron Rich Foods in India | Iron foods list

1. Legumes Indian Foods

Pulses are part of the legume family, but the term “pulse” refers only to the dried seed. Peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and beans offer a good iron boost in Indian Food.

Rich in iron, protein, fiber, B vitamins, calcium, potassium, zinc, and more, regular consumption of legumes supports heart health, diabetes management, inflammation reduction, and many other benefits.
Let’s see two familiar options you can add to your diet to improve your hemoglobin.

2. Black Beans

Black beans are rich in iron option, which ensures adequate energy production and immune function. As a plant-based source of food,they help with iron deficiency and anemia if you are facing. You can make excellent and yummy dishes with black beans.

But it is not just your blood that black beans help – they also enhance your mental function. Additionally, the fiber in these beans helps in improving the digestion process. Black beans can also added to foods with iron list.

Beans are an excellent source of soluble fiber that forms a watery gel in your stomach. This fiber absorbs bad cholesterol and prevents heart disease and strokes, making it more beneficial to people with heart disease.

Undoubtedly, beans are highly nutritious, promoting proper blood circulation in our bodies. While you are planning your diet with them, consider another option that helps you maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

3. Lentils

Lentils are used around the world for culinary purposes. In India, lentils are also rich in iron foods. This staple is an excellent source of iron. Quite similar to our previous option discussed in the blog, lentils are also a plant-based protein that you can easily incorporate into your diet.

Lentils boast significant iron levels, which are necessary for blood health. Lentils are ideal for vegetarians; lentils offer non-heme iron, aiding iron absorption in our body and helping in blood circulation improvement when facing iron deficiency. Lentils are also part of foods with iron list in India.

Packed with iron, lentils also provide fiber and protein benefits.
Harness its benefits as you add it to soups, stews, or salads in your regular diet plan. Regular lentil intake will enhance your iron content, supporting overall body health.

4. Dry Fruits

Did you know you can maintain your hemoglobin level while consuming snacks? Yes, you can do so with dry fruits. Dry fruits like apricots, raisins, and dates have a high iron and fiber content. Also iron you are going to get. You can eat dry fruits during work and get your daily dose of iron in your body.

Eating dry fruits in the early morning on an empty stomach gives your body a fresh dose of rich iron nutrition to support blood and hemoglobin.

Dry fruits, which come in multiple varieties, can prevent iron deficiency in your daily diet. They are also included in foods with iron content.

5. Dates

Dates are a popular dry fruit that you can eat with other iron-rich Indian foods. These sweet delights aid in maintaining good hemoglobin levels. Whether you consume fresh or dried dates in your daily consumption. You serve it as a common home remedy for anemia.

In addition to their high-calorie content, dates are an excellent source of iron-rich Indian foods, including other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that help maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

Consume the goodness of dry fruits with soya bean bars where you get all the nutrition in just a few bites with high protein because of soya bean involved! Dates are fruits in India that can also added in foods with iron list.

Health Tip: Dates are a home remedy that expectant and nursing mothers can try to regularly keep their hemoglobin levels in check. They have an iron content of 1 mg per 100 grams.

5. Millets

Let’s explore some millet options to complete your meal. Millets are also rich in iron nutrition, which can be a beneficial addition to your regular diet plan. They enhance overall hemoglobin levels and purify your blood.

On a larger scale, they aid multiple body functions, including digestion and energy production. We already know that millets are mostly eaten in India during festival seasons like Navratri, the Sawan month for fasting. So fasting helps in purifying the whole body with millet meals.

Millets have multiple dishes that can also added foods with iron list. Including millets in your diet helps prevent iron deficiency, supporting overall well-being.

6. Rajgira

Rajgira cereal, derived from Amaranth seeds, boasts a notable iron content, making it a nutritious addition to your diet. You can also eat it as a snack in your daily diet plan.

Rajgira is essentially known for its high protein value; about 100 grams of uncooked rajgira has 14 grams of protein. Rajgira is also Indian iron rich foods that also can be added in foods with iron list.

Incorporating Rajgira into your meals provides a delicious way to boost iron intake that helps in overall blood improvement and supporting vital bodily functions.

Whether enjoyed as a breakfast cereal, eating it as smoothie recipes, or used in various recipes, Rajgira stands out as a healthful choice, contributing to a balanced and iron rich foods and protein rich dietary regimen.

7. Finger Millet

Finger millet is also known as ragi in India; it is a nutritional powerhouse rich in iron content. Packed with this vital mineral, finger millet aids in preventing iron deficiency in our body.

Regular consumption supports optimal oxygen transport in cells, improving energy levels and overall well-being.
Apart from iron, finger millet offers a spectrum of nutrients, including calcium, fiber, and essential amino acids that improve the overall health of our body. Ragi is one of the most common food that can also be added in foods with iron list.

Its versatility allows incorporation into various Indian dishes, making it a valuable addition to our balanced diet for those seeking natural iron sources without disturbing daily diet plans.

8. Vegetables

Let’s explore some veggies that are rich sources of iron and can enhance your hemoglobin levels.

Beetroot

If you’ve ever enjoyed beetroot ki sabji during winter, and you can also eat it as a salad in your daily diet, you’ve experienced its potential to immediately boost your hemoglobin levels.

This tasty red vegetable can enrich your blood with essential minerals, such as iron, promoting the production of more red blood cells.

Apart from its high iron content, it also contains fiber, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C, making it a vegetable powerhouse. So we can add it to the iron food list.

It is an ideal vegetable to add to the diet, especially for pregnant women and children who need more iron. Beetroot is one of the most demanding iron rich foods in India that can also added in foods with iron list.

You can make a vegetable bowl with beetroot and spinach, which is an important food, for a salad.

Spinach

One of the most popular iron-rich Indian foods is spinach or palak. Winters, especially, are incomplete without palak ki sabji!

We also know that in the old days, Popeye, the sailor man, ate spinach, and his body power increased in the same way it boosted our body. So we can say that we can add it to our iron foods list.

Not only is spinach a rich source of iron, but it also contains calcium, vitamins, and fiber. Spinach aids in oxygen transport and energy production.

If you have an anemia prognosis, it’s very pleasant so you can add greens to your diet. This will boost your haemoglobin level and alleviate your anaemic signs.

Broccoli

Broccoli whether it is green or white broccoli one of the most common in Indian dishes, but if you have an iron deficiency or just want a holistic diet, try to add it to your diet. Like other iron rich foods or Indian foods, it is packed with nutrients and contains 0.67mg of iron. So we can say that we can include broccoli in iron food list.

Not only is it rich in iron, but it also helps your red blood cell synthesis. It also has Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Apart from vegetables, you can also get a good dose of iron from “snacks” like dry fruits.

Pro Tip: Make a salad bowl with spinach, beetroot, and broccoli and eat it as a salad.

9. Non-Veg Iron Rich Foods

After a long discussion on veg foods at last we don’t forget about non-veg lovers. For non-veg lovers we already have a long list that is beef, lamb, chicken, pork, egg, liver, turkey that helps in iron deficiency. We can add these foods in iron foods list.

You are also going to get other nutritional value that is going to boost your overall healthy life and balanced diet plan.

10. Fruits – Iron Rich Fruits

If you want to know only about fruits then here is the list of fruits that you can add in your daily diet plan for iron deficiency. List of fruits are: Strawberries, watermelon, raisins, dates, figs, dried apricots, dried peaches. We can add these fruits in iron foods list.

These fruits fight iron deficiency in the body, helping to boost healthy blood and a healthy lifestyle.
We already know fruits have lots of more nutritional benefits that we can discuss, but this blog is already going too long, so let’s end this blog by clearing some of your doubts with faqs.

FAQs: Iron-Rich Indian Foods to Increase Haemoglobin

Can we get enough iron from a vegetarian diet?

For a vegetarian lover, vegetables and even a vegan diet have iron in their foods like lentils, beans, tofu, and fortified cereals. Just add them to your diet today.

Iron in food is necessary?

Iron in food is essential for your blood health. Usually, it would help if you had iron when your diet is deficient. With the food suggestions above, your diet will have enough iron. But if you still want an extra dose of iron, you can choose them.

Can iron-rich foods help lower fatigue and increase energy levels?

Yes, iron-rich foods combat fatigue and low energy levels. Spinach is the best food that helps you lower fatigue and increase energy levels. You can also try other foods mentioned in this blog.

What are some iron deficiency symptoms?

Some common symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating, decreased brain memory, and more.

How much iron do I need daily?

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) varies by age, gender, and life stage. For example, adult men typically need about 8 mg per day, while women aged 19-50 need about 18 mg per day due to menstruation.

What are the best sources of iron in Non-Veg Food?

Found in animal products like beef, chicken, turkey, pork, liver, and seafood (e.g., clams, oysters, shrimp, and tuna)

What are the best sources of iron in Veg Food?

Found in plant-based foods like beans, lentils, tofu, spinach, broccoli, fortified cereals, spinach, beetroot, ragi, and more mentioned above in this blog.

Conclusion

To maintain optimal haemoglobin levels and prevent iron deficiency in body along with associated health disorders, incorporate these iron rich Indian foods into your diet.

From dry fruits to legumes and millet to vegetables, there is a large variety of foods in India that you can add to your nutrition diet plan. Embrace the richness of iron and elevate your well-being today with NFCI.

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