India, Oct. 5 -- Whether you take ice cubes out of the freezer or enjoy them while drinking an iced beverage, chewing and sucking on ice cubes is a common habit. This simple habit is brushed off as a quirky trait, but a strong, constant craving could be a sign of an underlying health issue that deserves attention.

We asked Dr G Vimal Kumar, senior consultant in paediatric haematology, oncology, blood and marrow transplantation at MGM Cancer Institute, what this craving could mean, and he explained that it can be a sign of iron deficiency.

A persistent craving for ice may give you clues about a deficiency. Dr Kumar linked this habit, known as pagophagia, to iron deficiency anaemia, while noting that the exact reason behind the craving re...