Dry skin or itching? Dr Pal shares power-packed Besan Chila recipe to prevent iron deficiency

With the change of season we often experience dry skin and itching. While it mostly happens due to change of moisture levels in air, experts feel that it can also be because of iron deficiency. Dr. Palaniappan Manickam, or Dr. Pal, who runs the Instagram handle @dr.pal.manickam and is a US-based, board-certified gastroenterologist and nutrition expert, recently talked about dry skin or itching in a reel video and the role iron plays in it. In the video, he also shared a power-packed Besan Chila recipe that can help prevent iron deficiency. As per experts, iron deficiency can cause thinning and dryness of the skin due to decreased keratinocyte proliferation, reduced keratin synthesis, and impaired collagen metabolism. This leads to reduced skin thickness, elasticity, and barrier function, promoting xerosis (dry skin) and itching. Here's the simple recipe and how it can help prevent iron deficiency.

1 cup besan, 1 tomato, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, 1 onion, 1 green chilli, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste, 4 tbsp ghee, and 2 tbsp lemon juice

Chop the veggies and combine them well with besan, salt, pumpkin seeds, turmeric and water. Make a batter of pouring consistency and pour it on a preheated greased tawa to form a cheela. Cook it with ghee and top it with some lemon juice. Enjoy!

Pumpkin seeds and spinach will give you iron and lemon and tomatoes will help with better absorption of iron, states Dr Pal.

According to the USDA FoodData Central, raw spinach contains approximately 2.71 mg of iron per 100 grams, and for cooked spinach (boiled, drained), the iron content increases due to water loss during cooking, providing about 3.57 mg of iron per 100 grams. It is said that tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and lycopene, which aid iron uptake. Also, it has been found that tomatoes are a good source of various minerals including iron, with concentrations averaging about 4.55 mg per 100 g but ranging from 1.50 to 6.45 mg depending on variety and growing conditions. Pumpkin seeds are said to provide zinc and healthy fats that help in iron absorption. As per a study, pumpkin seeds are a rich source of nonheme iron, providing approximately 8.8 mg of iron per 100 grams, which accounts for about 49% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adult men and 27% for women. This makes them a valuable dietary source for preventing and managing iron deficiency anemia.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is meant for general knowledge only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always talk to your doctor before starting any new routine.