Summary
- Traditional oatmeal naturally has a small amount of iron.
- Fortified oats provide additional iron.
- Some classic fix-ins can increase the iron in your oatmeal.
- Making oatmeal with milk can reduce iron absorption.
- Iron Lift is a tasty way to add highly absorbed iron to your oatmeal.
Oats naturally have some iron
Whole grain oats naturally include about 2mg of iron per 50g serving. While this makes them a "good source" of iron, it means that a regular bowl of oatmeal will barely provide 10% of your recommended daily iron intake. The rest of this post will explain how to make your oatmeal have more iron.
Many oats are fortified with additional iron
Grain fortification began in the US in the 1940's to help reduce anemia. Iron was, and still is, one of the main additives to fortified foods. Today, there are a variety of iron-fortified oats. The amount of added iron will vary by brand—check the Nutrition Facts to know exactly how much you're getting. For example, Quaker instant oatmeal has about 7mg of added iron, to provide a total of 8mg iron per 28g packet.
there are a variety of iron-fortified oats
Toppings are a great way to add iron to your oatmeal
Who likes plain oatmeal, anyway? Many awesome oatmeal fix-ins can also serve to add iron or boost iron absorption. The list below features several of our high-iron snacks, which is also worth checking out!
For getting an extra crunch and some extra iron in your oatmeal, add pumpkin seeds, cashews, or both! These foods are good sources of iron, and lightly toasting them makes for a treat when added to your oatmeal.
Many awesome oatmeal fix-ins can also serve to add iron or boost iron absorption.
For making your oatmeal thicker, add almond butter and/or dark chocolate. After cashews, almonds are among the highest-iron nuts, meaning that almond butter adds a good amount of iron. Dark chocolate also has very high iron content and can make your oatmeal into a rich treat.
For making your oatmeal sweeter, add your favorite berry. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries add acidity to your oatmeal, which improves iron absorption.
Round out your breakfast to make the most of your high iron oatmeal
As explained in our post on having a high iron breakfast, there are several do's and don'ts to help absorb the iron in your oatmeal:
- Don't make the oatmeal with milk (plant milk is okay) because dairy can block iron absorption.
- Don't pair your oatmeal with coffee or tea, because they block iron absorption.
- Do wash your oatmeal down with orange juice, which boosts iron absorption.
Iron Powder is the easiest solution for high iron oatmeal
Smart Eats' Iron Lift is a high-iron protein powder that you can add to your oatmeal to make it a high iron treat. Iron Lift will make your oatmeal taste great while adding protein, vitamins, prebiotic fiber, and, most importantly, highly absorbed iron.
