Chances are you have a cast-iron skillet that you’ve had for years. Cast iron provides more even heat distribution than today’s lightweight aluminum pans. It also cleans up easily and holds heat longer; therefore requiring less fuel. While great for cooking, have you ever wondered if using cast-iron would increase the iron in your food? In fact, it does, but the amount depends on the pan and the type of food you’re cooking.

Researchers have tested the foods cooked in a cast iron utensil and have found that the more acidic a food is the more iron that is leached into the food. When cooked in cast iron, acidic foods such as beans, tomatoes and citrus foods caused the greatest increase in iron content.

As long as the taste is unaffected, the extra iron from cooking is a plus for nutrition. (Some people, especially older men, need to watch their high iron intake as some studies suggest this may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease; if concerned, check with your physician.)

Whether or not the pan is highly seasoned affects the amount of iron absorbed from the pan. Seasoning a pan means that you have oiled or preconditioned the pan before use. Highly acidic foods will strip the seasoning and result in discoloration and metallic-tasting food. It's important to re-season the pan when you notice that it appears dry and discolored or when food starts sticking. Some newer cast-iron cookware on the market may be pre-seasoned, but seasoning or re-seasoning is not difficult. Manufacturer instructions vary, but typically you should wash new cookware in hot, soapy water and rinse well. When the pan is clean and dry, the next steps are to:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Using soft cloth or paper towel, coat the inside and outside surface with cooking oil.

3. Place the cookware on the top shelf of the oven, upside down on a baking sheet that’s covered with aluminum foil. Bake for one hour, turn off the oven and let the pan cool down in the oven.