*2.1. Iron*

Iron (Fe) is indispensable for living organisms and vital for various metabolic processes such as electron transport and deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis [31]. In the human body, Fe is required for the synthesis of oxygen transport proteins (hemoglobin and myoglobin) and enzymes involved in electron transfer and oxidation-reductions [32,33]. In hemoglobin, it serves as a transporter of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, the RDA of Fe is 8 mg/day for adult males and 18 mg/day for females (https://ods.od.nih.gov/Health\_Information/Dietary\_Reference\_Intakes.aspx). Iron deficiency is considered the most predominant among various micronutrient deficiencies and the major contributor of anemia and a ffects more than two billion individuals globally [34,35]. It can cause loss of energy, dizziness, and poor pregnancy outcomes such as premature births, low birth weight babies, delayed growth and development in infants, and poor cognitive skills [3,36,37].
