LETTER: Cast-iron benefits

From Mr Conrad Cork

Sir: I am surprised that Dr Susan Fairweather-Tait ("Doctor sniffs out remedy for anaemia in an Indian pot" , 26 May), as "head of a team at a government-backed food-research institute" did not know about the benefits of cooking in iron.

To take only one example from an authority she would acknowledge, John Yudkin, writing This Nutrition Business nearly 20 years ago, recounts how during the Second World War, members of the WAAF were much less anaemic after a few months' service than they had been when they were first recruited. This was due to the fact that much of their food was cooked in iron vessels.

Anaemia is too serious a potential problem, especially for vegetarians, for the benefits of cooking in iron pots not to be commonly known.

Dr Fairweather-Tait was also misinformed about Birmingham being the only place you can buy an iron balti dish, as these are widely available throughout the country.

Yours sincerely,

CONRAD CORK

Leicester

26 May