Name a nutrient that is often fortified in breakfast cereals.

Iron is frequently fortified in breakfast cereals to help address the widespread concern of iron deficiency, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children and women of childbearing age. Breakfast cereals often serve as a key source of nutrition, and because many people may not get enough iron from their diets alone, fortifying cereals with this essential mineral can significantly enhance iron intake.

Iron is crucial for the formation of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, and for overall metabolic function. The fortification of cereals with iron helps promote adequate levels of this nutrient and supports the prevention of anemia, making it an important strategy for public health nutrition.

While nutrients like calcium, iodine, and vitamin D are also important and may be found in some fortified cereals, iron is particularly common and essential due to its prevalence in cases of dietary deficiency.