Are you concerned about eating a balanced diet? We frequently hear that Americans wouldn’t need any vitamin or mineral supplements so long as they ate an adequate range of foods. (The closest we have gotten to a definition of “an adequate range” is at least 30 different plant-based foods each week. Listen here or here.) Not everyone is able to find the time and resources to prepare such a diet, though. Many Americans consume foods that are fortified with the vitamins and minerals you might need. But might you be getting too much of some nutrients? We heard from a reader worried about his cold cereal.
Does Cold Cereal Have Too Much Iron?
Q. Should men be concerned about the iron in cold cereal? We eat a lot of cereal. Some have a lot of iron in them. Why don’t cereal makers make a men’s version without iron?
A. You’re right that men need less iron, in general, than women. The RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for adult men is 8 mg, while that for women is 18 mg until menopause. After menopause, women don’t need any more iron than men.
The number you have seen on the cereal package is the DV rather than the RDA. DV stands for daily value and is a number used on food packaging. Your favorite cereal might contain 12 mg iron per serving, listed as 70 percent of the DV. Although that is more than the RDA, it is still less than the safe upper limit for adults. That is 45 mg. Although you wouldn’t want to consume that much every day, an occasional serving offering 12 mg doesn’t pose a hazard for most people. People with hemochromatosis, an inherited metabolic abnormality that leads to iron overload, are in a different category and should be very careful about any fortified foods, not just cold cereal.
Other Breakfast Options:
If you are concerned about getting too much iron from your daily cereal, you might consider swapping in a different breakfast from time to time. Quick-cooking oatmeal has very little iron. Smoothies or cottage cheese might also be options.
Learn More:
If you’d like other suggestions for breakfast alternatives beyond quesadillas or peanut butter toast, you might want to consider our book, Recipes & Remedies From The People’s Pharmacy. It offers instructions for ten different healthy and delicious ways to start your day.
