Most cereals sold in the United States are fortified with iron. (A good thing, since 1 in 10 women has low iron levels.) Problem is, if you sip coffee while eating your Wheaties, polyphenols, an antioxidant in coffee, can hamper the body’s ability to absorb the iron. Coffee isn’t the only offender. Black tea and some herbal teas (including peppermint and chamomile), which also contain polyphenols, have been shown to reduce iron absorption by as much as 94 percent, and hot cocoa cuts it by 71 percent. The solution? Pour yourself a cup of java before or after your cereal. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a cup of coffee one hour before an iron-rich meal didn’t affect absorption. And if you choose to get your fix after breakfast, wait at least an hour or more.