Total and ionisable iron contents in some vegetables as influenced by cooking in iron utensil.

摘要

The effect of cooking in an iron pan on total and ionisable iron in nine commonly used vegetables was studied. Five green leafy vegetables, three other vegetables and potato (tuber) were cooked in iron and non-iron pans simultaneously. The total aswell as ionisable iron increased in each and every vegetable as a result of cooking in an iron pan. There was a 63-357% increase in total iron and a 106 to 479% increase in ionisable iron in different vegetables. The increase in ionisable iron was higherthan total iron in all the vegetables except peas. The extra ionisable iron available on dry weight basis due to cooking in an iron pan was the highest in spinach, followed by amaranth and kulfa (Portulaca oleracea).