Cast Iron Cookware Can Increase Iron Content of Foods
Did you know that cooking with cast iron cookware can actually increase the iron content of your food? I use either cast iron about 80% of the time when cooking.
The pot needs to be the raw cast iron type- the black uncoated ones, like the one in the picture. Not the fancy enamel coated cast iron pots like Le Creuset. This is good news, because Le Creuset costs a fortune and raw cast iron is incredibly cheap! You can pick them up from cookware stores, camping stores and even Aldi sometimes have them for under $20.
When cooking food in a cast iron pan, the pan releases iron into the food. This iron is absorbable by the body. The acidity of the food, the moisture content, and cooking time of food all effect how much iron is released. Acidic foods, foods with lots of liquid (like stews and soups) and foods cooked for longer periods increase in iron content more. This means something like a tomato sauce based dish slowly cooked would obtain a good amount of iron, whereas something like a burger that is reasonably dry and cooked quickly would not get as much. New pans also release more than older pans that are very well seasoned, and the more you stir, the more iron is released.
This is particularly important in developing countries where the population suffer from iron deficiency, as it is a cheap and easy way for the population to add extra iron to their diet. In fact a handy little kitchen aid was made called the ‘iron fish’ which is basically a little stone of iron. The iron fish was distributed to iron deficient populations and can be dropped into cooking pots where it releases iron into the food. You can buy these online for yourself too if you’d rather do that than switch to a cast iron pot.
A study done in 1986 compared the amount of iron in foods before and after cooking in cast iron pans and the results speak for themselves:
So, if you are iron deficient or worried about your iron intake, an easy way to increase it is to simply swap your pots and pans to cast iron.
If you need more help balancing your diet and dealing with underlying issues that could be contributing to iron deficiency, book in for a consult, or get yourself a customized meal plan to address your dietary concerns.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3722654/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5008419/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29322365/
https://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/IronCastIron.htm