Iron, an important mineral, supports the formation of hemoglobin -- the protein found in red blood cells. Not getting enough iron can lead to a medical condition known as iron-deficiency anemia. To avoid anemia and its symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath and chest pain, eat iron-rich foods, which include foods fortified with iron, such as cereals.
Types of Iron
Iron exists in two different chemical structures, known as heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron, derived from hemoglobin, comes from animal foods, such as meat, fish and poultry. Vegetables contain non-heme iron. Although similar, the slight changes in structure affect the body's ability to absorb them. The human body can absorb 15 to 35 percent of the available iron in heme sources while only absorbing 2 to 20 percent of the available iron from non-heme foods sources, according to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements.
Daily Recommended Intake
The Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board provides the recommended daily intake of all essential vitamins and minerals, including iron. It recommends that adult men and post-menopausal women consume 8mg of iron per day. Due to the loss of blood each month during menstruation, women between the ages of 19 and 50 should consume 18mg of iron per day.
Fortified Cereals
To help avoid iron-deficiency anemia, food manufactures add iron to some types of foods, creating iron-fortified foods. Cereals, including ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, oatmeal and grits are all fortified with iron. Manufacturers use non-heme iron to fortify the cereals.
Iron Content
The exact amount of iron in each type of cereal varies. The food nutrition label tells how much iron that cereal provides in both the number of milligrams per serving and the percent daily value. Many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals contain 100 percent of the daily recommended intake of iron, which according to the Office of Dietary Supplements equates to 18mg per day. One cup of oatmeal contains 10mg of iron while 1 cup of grits only contains 1.5mg of iron.
Percent Daily Value
The percent daily value, expressed as %DV, helps consumers determine if the food item is a good source of that specific nutrient. It specifies what percent of the daily value each serving of that food provides. Oatmeal, which contains 10mg of iron, provides 60 percent of the daily recommended value. Any food item that contains 5 percent or less of iron is considered a low food source. Any cereal that provides 10 to 19 percent of the DV is considered a good source while more than 20 percent contains high levels of that nutrient.
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