Cooking In Iron Vessels For Kids

Iron deficiency is a widespread problem throughout the world, especially in children aged 9 to 36 months. Children are particularly prone to iron deficiency anaemia due to a low intake of iron-rich foods. Mild to severe iron deficiency is common in children, and it can have a variety of consequences, including failure to thrive, poor academic performance, and recurrent infections. Therefore, it is a common thought to combat iron deficiency by introducing iron-rich food into your baby’s diet. But can iron-rich food itself be enough to keep up with the iron requirements of your baby?

Cook Food In Iron Vessels

The cooking equipment used to prepare the meal significantly impacts the food’s final iron content. Multiple studies have demonstrated that most meals (90 per cent) contain considerably more iron when cooked in iron cookware. Another study shows that eating food cooked in iron pots for four months increased the haemoglobin levels in children.

How Can This Help?

• When you cook food in iron vessels, the ingredients in the food react with the metal surface. As a result, the iron in the vessel gets secreted into the food, and your food becomes iron-rich.

• Cooking in iron vessels has its benefits, but there are a few things that you should know and keep in mind. Here is a list:

• Do not make cooking in an iron vessel a regular ritual. It is recommended to use iron vessels 2-3 times a week, not more than that.

• Foods that are sour or acidic may react with the iron, resulting in an unpleasant metallic taste. Prepare tomato-based curries such as kadhi, rasam, sambhar in a stainless-steel pot instead.

• You can use mild dishwashing detergents to wash the iron vessels. Remember to dry the vessels immediately. Use only non-abrasive kitchen scrubbers and sponges, such as steel wool to clean your kitchen.

• Apply a thin layer of vegetable oil to the vessel before storing it to keep it from rusting. Maintain a clean and dry environment for the pan, keeping it away from water and other sources of moisture.

• Water and other liquids aren’t meant to be stored in iron vessels because when iron reacts with moisture, rust is formed. If this happens, your drinking water may get contaminated.

What is important to note is that whatever food you cook in the iron vessel should be immediately moved to a glass or enamel dish to avoid food contamination.

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