My son is a joyful and jubilant toddler. But when he was nearing his 5^th birthday, he started to grow a bit dull and unresponsive at times. He started having serious problems with his health that required immediate attention. A couple of medical tests revealed that he has an iron deficiency, a mild anemia with a hemoglobin count of 11g/dL. The usual polished white rice had to be replaced with organic red rice for his lunch. The change was a simple and something that I could do easily within the same cooking style.

Red rice has 11% iron which helps the body to develop red blood cells. A 1/4^th cup of red rice every day meets 2 percent of his daily iron requirement. So I started to pack red rice for his lunch along with veggies and fruits to boost his iron levels.

After 2 weeks I noticed a difference in his activities. He was restored back to the active and energetic toddler that he used to be. Six months later, I took him for another blood test and found that his haemoglobin count was increased to 12g/dL. Now he is very co-operative at home and school and his immunity is all boosted up to fight against any kind of infection.

Some important points to note:

• Don’t grab a pack of red rice from the supermarket shelves. They might not be pure and safe.
• They might contain toxins like citrinin which could harm your kidneys.
• Always buy your red rice from organic stores that stock only pure organic red rice that is certified to be free from toxins.

About the author:

Anjana Ram is a homemaker residing with her husband, son and in-laws in Chennai. She loves to shop at Joy By Nature for all her food requirements. In the above blog, she speaks about how she found a way to boost the iron levels of her son who was diagnosed with a serious iron deficiency and put an end to the problem once and for all.