Didn’t we all start having spinach in our meals as kids when Popeye said that the secret of his strong muscles is indeed downing cans of spinach? And as experts say, the dark green leafy vegetable is indeed a rich source of iron, which can give you an energy boost like nothing else. A mineral that we can load up on through our diet, iron is responsible to produce haemoglobin in our red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout our body, to each organ. Now imagine what will happen if we don’t have enough iron in our body? We might feel lethargic and lack the energy to carry out even the basic daily tasks and worst of all, face illnesses like anaemia. Acute shortage can lead to organ failure too.
Our diet may help us keep up with the daily need of iron in our body. Since most of our meals are full of vegetables, we’ve got three iron-rich vegetables that you can include in your diet to keep iron-deficiency at bay.
1. Spinach
Of course, that’s our first pick. While Popeye might have popularised it amongst the kids, experts have been hailing it for its rich iron content for ages. It is deemed as a winter special green but is generally available all year round. Spinach is a treasure trove of multiple nutrients that promotes overall health. Besides iron, it comes loaded with vitamins and minerals that help boost immunity, haemoglobin and prevent anaemia. Toss it up in your salad or juice it with a pinch of salt.
2. Beetroot
This deep red and vibrant vegetable is excellent for boosting iron in your body. Not just that, the vegetable is a storehouse of copper, protein, vitamins, calcium and sulphur. You can slice some beetroot in your salad, make a smoothie or a piping hot soup to reap in the maximum benefits.
3. Broccoli
Haven’t we all heard people touting broccoli as a superfood? Well, they aren’t saying so without a point. With a rich nutritional profile that consists of B-vitamins, folate vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and more, broccoli also has iron in a good amount. Sauté it with other veggies or have it boiled with a pinch of salt, this cruciferous vegetable has multiple health benefits to its credit including weight loss and diabetes management.