Treating Iron Deficiency
The amount of iron your body needs depends on a number of factors, including your age, your gender and your overall health. While iron supplements can certainly increase your levels, they can cause adverse side effects; namely, constipation.
There is another way that you can bring your iron levels up without causing adverse effects, and that is by modifying your diet so that it contains foods that are high in iron. Believe it or not, there are several iron-rich foods, and here’s a look at the top 19.
1. Iron-Fortified Cereal
It’s been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially if you eat a bowl of iron-fortified cereal. There are plenty of cereals on the market that have been specially formulated to offer high levels of iron. If you opt for a ready-to-eat cereal that is 100 percent iron-fortified, you will get 12 mg of the nutrient by eating just ½ cup.
There are plenty of ready-to-eat (meaning they don’t have to be cooked to consume) on the market. When you’re shopping, make sure you read the nutrition label to ensure that you are choosing a cereal that offers the highest level of iron possible (ideally, 100 percent.)