Iron

Iron is the mineral that makes haemoglobin — the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Iron deficiency is the single most common nutrition problem in India, and it causes anaemia (low haemoglobin).

Why this matters in India

• Over half of Indian women aged 15–49 and two-thirds of children under 5 are anaemic (national family health survey data).
• Anaemia in pregnancy raises the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and maternal haemorrhage.
• In children, iron deficiency slows brain development and school performance.
• In adults, it causes fatigue, breathlessness on stairs, poor concentration, and feeling cold — often dismissed as "weakness".

Good sources of iron

• Animal (heme iron — best absorbed): red meat, liver, chicken, fish, eggs.
• Plant (non-heme iron): pulses (rajma, chana, moong, masoor), leafy greens (palak, methi, amaranth), ragi (finger millet), bajra, jaggery, sesame seeds, dried apricots.
• Fortified foods: fortified atta and rice (under India's food fortification programme), fortified salt (DFS — double-fortified salt with iron + iodine).
• Vitamin C with meals (amla, lemon, guava, tomato, citrus) doubles plant-iron absorption.
• Cooking in iron cookware (kadhai, tawa) adds absorbable iron — especially for acidic dishes.
• Tea and coffee with meals block iron absorption — separate them by an hour from main meals.

Who is at most risk of deficiency

• Menstruating women — especially with heavy periods.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Infants, toddlers, and adolescents in growth spurts.
• People with chronic blood loss — piles, peptic ulcer, hookworm, heavy periods, frequent blood donation.
• People with coeliac disease, IBD, or past weight-loss surgery.

Treatment

• Blood test (haemoglobin and ferritin) confirms iron deficiency. Don't self-diagnose.
• Iron-folic acid (IFA) tablets are the first-line treatment — free through government health services for pregnant women, adolescents, and young children.
• Look for a cause in adults — unexplained iron deficiency needs investigation for piles, ulcer, or bowel cancer, not just supplements.
• Iron injections or IV iron are used when tablets aren't tolerated or absorption is poor.
• Avoid mega-dose iron without medical advice — overdose (especially in children) is dangerous.