If we do not have a good iron intake, our bodies won’t function as well as they should. Some cereals can be a great way to ensure you are getting enough iron.
Iron fortified cereals are a great way to add iron to your diet. If you are unable to meet your body’s iron needs through food alone, Active Iron is a safe and easily absorbed iron supplement. Click here to visit our store!
Fortified Breakfast Cereals High In Iron
Some breakfast cereals contain a good amount of iron as they have been fortified with the mineral. Very few breakfast cereals naturally contain high levels of iron, so it is often added by the manufacturers to make them a better source of the nutrient.
Some breakfast cereals are an excellent source of iron because they have been fortified well. However, always check the label for iron content and take care to notice the other ingredients too. It may be a good idea to choose a breakfast cereal that has good iron content, but low sugar. Many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals are full of unhealthy added sugars.
Iron Rich Cereals: What Cereals Are High In Iron?
It can be difficult to find the best iron rich cereals when there is so much choice. There are many breakfast cereals available and it can be a challenge to identify which is the best one for you. We’ve put this list together so you can choose a breakfast cereal that has good iron content.
Getting all the iron you need can be difficult, 14mg is the RDA, so we’ve included the iron content of these cereals for you to help you achieve your iron intake goals.
10 Iron Rich Cereals
Rice Krispies 30.4mg/100g (US) 8.0mg/100g (UK & Ireland)
These little rice puffs snapped, crackled, and popped into our lives in the 1920s and have been provided children with an iron rich breakfast cereal ever since.
Cornflakes 28.9mg/100g (US) 8.0mg/100g (UK & Ireland)
Cornflakes come in as the most iron rich cereal due to fortification techniques to enrich this cereal with vitamins and minerals.
Quaker Quick Oats 19.8mg/100g
Although oats are naturally a good source of iron, Quaker Oats are a particularly good source of iron at almost 20mg per 100g.
Wheat Biscuits 12mg/100g
Wheat biscuits are a breakfast favourite for many, served warm or cold, these Weetabix or Weet-bix are a good dietary source of iron and fibre and lower in sugar than many other cereals.
Bran Flakes 8.8mg/100g
Almost synonymous with fibre and healthy breakfast choices throughout the 80s and 90s Bran Flakes com into the middle of our list or iron rich cereals.
Muesli 8.8mg/100g
Muesli provides a flavoursome breakfast typically with berries nuts and oats. Some Mueslis are high in sugar, so it is worth checking the pack to find one that is good levels of iron without excess sugar.
Special K 8mg/100g
If donning your best red dress is not enough of an incentive, then it may surprise you that Special K and the many varieties of Special K are fortified with iron and make this a great breakfast cereal choice.
Shredded Wholegrain Pillows 7.6gm/100g
Shredded Wholegrain Pillows are bitesize biscuits with no added sugar, preservatives or salt and made with whole grain wheat. This cereal was designed to help you fuel your day.
Granola 3mg/100g
Not sure what the difference is between Granola and number 6 Muesli? Granola is mixed with a sweetener e.g. honey, maple syrup and baked giving it a crunchy texture while Muesli is unbaked.
Millet 3mg/100g
With 9g of fibre and 3mg of iron this millet porridge supports healthy and regular digestion (if you know what I mean). This gluten free ancient grain is said to support your gut flora.
Note: All value correct on date of publishing, check with your local health authority for more details.
Cereals high in iron available in the USA & Canada
• Ralston Enriched Bran Flakes
• Kellogg’s Product 19
• Kellogg’s All-Bran Complete
• General Mills Whole Grain Total
• Malt-O-Meal Puffed Wheat Cereal
Cereals high in iron available in UK & Ireland
• Flahavan’s Porridge Oats
• Quaker Oats
• Healthwise Bran Flakes
• Healthwise Sultana Bran
• Kellogg’s Special K, Original
• Weetabix
Cereals high in iron available in Australia & New Zealand
• Sanitarium Weet-bix
• Uncle Toby’s Plus, Iron
• Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Gluten Free3
• Kellogg’s Rice Bubbles
Iron Supplementation Even If You Eat An Iron Rich Breakfast Cereal
We were unable to find a breakfast cereal that meets your full daily intake requirement for iron. Eating a breakfast cereal that is high iron alone will not be sufficient to provide your body with the iron it needs for essential functions such as blood cell production and oxygen transport.
Following a varied diet and healthy lifestyle should allow you to meet your iron needs. However, its important to be aware of other foods that temporarily stop your body from absorbing iron, like tea and coffee. If you are unable to meet your iron needs through your diet and you chose to supplement, consider an iron supplement that is suitable for Vegetarians and kind on your system.
Source of iron content in cereals: USDA