Does your child find it hard to complete home works, memorizing spellings or too lethargic to run around the park and play? Then he or she may be lacking the most vital mineral iron. Iron plays a crucial role in carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell of the body.

Iron deficiency leads to anaemia and is associated with fatigue, cognitive loss and various other health issues which impairs growth and overall well-being of your kids.

Role Of Iron

Haemoglobin the protein bound iron is responsible for transporting oxygen and nutrients to different organs in the body.

Adequate iron intake promotes proper cognitive development in growing children.

Iron speeds up the healing of wounds and supplies the needed oxygen to different muscles and tissues and speed up recovery.

Iron combats hair loss, enhances skin health and makes the skin supple.

Iron promotes appetite and provides the needed energy to kick start the day.

Iron helps in developing strong immunity and produces reactive oxygen specimens that can combat germs and infections.

Iron Rich Sources

Dark Green Leafy Veggies

Green leafy veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli and moringa leaves are all good sources of iron for kids. A serving of cooked moringa gives you 4 mg of iron.

Legumes

Legumes of all varieties are rich in iron such as black beans, kidney beans, lima, soybean and pinto bean. A serving of soybeans provides 6.5mg of iron, while kidney beans contain 3.9mg of iron and lima beans contain 2.2mg of iron.

Dry Fruits

All dry fruits including raisins, figs, and apricots are abundant in iron. Dry fruits are a best snacking option that your kid can have on the go. A handful of raisins, a few dried figs, or apricots keep them filling and energized through the day.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is power-packed with protein and rich amount of iron. The perfect way is to toast a couple of slices of brown bread with peanut butter or make a smoothie or roll with roti’s help in boosting your kids iron content.

Lean Meats

Lean meat sources include skinned skin, fish and oysters. Red meats are one of the richest sources of iron providing 2.1 mg per serving with are more bioavailable. The red meat is also rich in protein and vitmainB12 which is needed for proper cognitive development of kids.

Additional Iron Rich Sources

Pumpkin Seeds

Tiny green pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron apart from other nutrients. A fistful of about 40 grams of pumpkin serving contains around 4 grams of iron and consuming a small quantity every day can fill up your child’s iron need by 30 percent.

Quinoa

Quinoa a popular pseudo cereal is a rich source of iron. Quinoa has twice the amount of iron than wheat. One small cup of cooked quinoa provides almost 4 mg of iron. Plant sources provide nonheme iron which needs an ample amount of Vitamin C for absorption and quinoa has Vitamin C in plenty.  

Dark Chocolate

Not just is chocolate every child’s all-time favourite snack, but it is an excellent source of iron too. One small serving of dark chocolate containing about 85% cacao solids has almost 3 mg of iron.

Potatoes

Potatoes are filled with more nutrients than one can imagine. They are a reliable source of vitamin C and an excellent source of iron. In fact, one medium-sized baked potato with its skin intact has a whopping 3 mg of iron.

Tofu

Tofu, a soy-based food popular food among vegetarians, is an extremely rich source of iron. A small tofu serving contains 3 to 4 mg of iron which can boost your child’s iron need easily.

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