IRON BOOST FOR VEGETARIANS
Just tying your shoelaces, standing up in a flash, and then seeing a thousand stars. Story of my life. If I walk through the office yawning for the rest of the day, I immediately know what's on the menu that evening. A good steak. Huh? I hear you thinking. Yes, I have a chronic iron deficiency because I eat little meat. At least once a week, I bike past a good organic butcher to get a steak. I not only find it very tasty (once in a while), but I notice that my body really needs it. As a child, I was given a spoonful of apple syrup every day to boost my iron levels a bit. I could live with that spoon, but I preferred to skip my grandmother's habit. She would give my mother a nice plate of fried liver (can I just spit?) when it was that time again.
Iron is certainly an incredibly important mineral for us women, and not just when you have your period. Iron transports oxygen throughout our body, and as much as 70% of that intake goes directly to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Those blood cells ensure that the body receives enough oxygen and that our muscles and tissues function well. So it makes sense that when you have an iron deficiency, you feel a lot more tired (or even faint sometimes). Especially for avid athletes, it's important to eat iron-rich foods.
Many vegetarians struggle to get enough iron. This is because we have two forms of iron: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is found in animal products such as fish, meat, eggs, and poultry, and this form is absorbed much more easily by the body. The heme form is better absorbed, which is why the recommended amount of iron for vegetarians is 1.8 times higher than for meat-eaters. It's important to add a good source of vitamin C when consuming non-heme iron. This way, it is better absorbed in the body.
Are you typing away at your laptop with a pale face and brittle nails (iron deficiency!) and are you anything but a meat-eater? Then I know what's on the menu for you tonight. Believe me, this will perk you up.
Hearty lentil soup – for 2 servings
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp curry paste
1/4 tsp chipotle pepper/cayenne pepper
300 ml vegetable broth
150 grams beluga lentils
100 grams brown rice
bag of fresh spinach
pinch of salt
Greek yogurt (0%)
coriander
1. Take a large pot, heat a tablespoon of oil, and sauté the onion until golden brown.
2. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté them with the onion, followed by the spices.
3. Finally, add the broth and lentils. Turn the heat up until it boils, then lower it.
4. Put the mixture in the blender and blend until you get a creamy mass. Add the spinach and pepper and salt, and blend again.
5. Divide the cooked rice over two bowls, pour the soup over it, and garnish with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and fresh coriander.
Per bowl of soup: 450 kcal, 10 g fat, 60 g carbohydrates, 26.6 g protein, 22 g fiber, 12 mg iron.
