Lucky Iron Fish Fight Anemia

To combat widespread iron deficiency, Cambodian families add fish-shaped iron ingots called Lucky Iron Fish to their cooking pots. Canadian physician Christopher Charles initially tested plain iron lumps, but women used them as doorstops, so he molded them into the "try kantrop," a fish considered lucky in Cambodian culture. Boiling the fish in food or water releases iron, while added citrus juice helps the body absorb it. Studies found that 90% of test subjects used the fish regularly and were more than 10 times as likely to achieve normal blood iron levels as a control group.

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