Breakfast cereals, many people think of brightly colored boxes. The cartoon character on the box starts the day with a crisp snap. It looks simple enough, just pour in the cereal and add milk. However, this innocent looking box hides nutritional issues inside. It’s a far cry from a healthy breakfast option. Sometimes, it’s like candy in a bowl. One expert aptly expressed her opinion.
The world of breakfast cereals is always changing. Companies craft new flavors to catch people’s attention. They try to seduce our tastes with so-called “fad products.” We’ve seen some pretty novel products lately, haven’t we? General Mills has announced that it will launch pizza-flavored cereal in 2025. The unique flavors of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Totino’s Pizza Rolls mix surprisingly well together. And let’s not forget the Kelce Mix, which launches in 2024. Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce have mixed and matched three fan favorites. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms and Reese’s Puffs mixed together. It really shows the desire for novelty, doesn’t it?
Adults often eat sugary cereal for their kids, and they sometimes eat it like a dessert late at night. You see, there is a chain of stores called Day & Night Cereal Bar. This chain sells cereal bowls and shakes in several cities in the United States. As you can see, cereal is still deeply ingrained in our culture.
But what are we adding to our bowls besides fun? Health experts are discovering something when they examine the nutritional content. Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, is blunt. She calls sugary cereals her number one ultra-processed food to avoid. As a doctor, she makes that statement rather strongly. She explained to CNBC that cereals are mostly simple carbohydrates. Cereal contains almost a full day’s worth of added sugar. Think about this carefully. It’s not recommended to consume all sugar until the day actually starts.
Starting your day with a high-sugar meal can have consequences, says Dr. Naidoo, which can lead to sugar spikes. These spikes can leave you feeling hungry a few hours later. Then, before lunchtime, you go for more snacks. Nutritionists say a high-protein breakfast is usually better. It provides sustained energy and is better at keeping you full.
But experts also agree that cereal isn’t always bad. If you like cereal, make healthy choices. The hard part is finding one in the aisles of the store. You see, the shelves are filled with boxes of sugary cereals. It can feel hard to find healthy cereal that tastes good.
Grains themselves are typically high in carbohydrates but low in fiber and protein. Cereal is a foundation that needs to be built upon, not just relied upon.
Product on Amazon: Carnation Breakfast Essentials High Protein with Fiber Ready-to-Drink, 8 FL OZ Carton, Rich Milk Chocolate (Pack of 24) (Packaging May Vary)
Brand: Carnation Breakfast Essentials
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Drugstore
Price: 29.55 USD
Features:
1. Nutritional Breakfast Drink: Carnation Breakfast Essentials High Protein with Fiber Nutritional Drinks make it easy to start your day with key nutrients at breakfast
2. High Quality Protein: Each 8 fl oz serving is packed with 15 g of high-quality protein to help build & maintain muscle
3. Vitamins and Minerals: Provides an excellent source of 21 vitamins and minerals to help meet daily nutritional needs plus 3 g of fiber for digestive health
4. Key Nutrients for Immune Support: Carnation Breakfast Essentials with Fiber Nutritional Drinks contain 100 percent daily value (DV) of vitamin C and 50 percent DV of vitamin D, key nutrients for immune support
5. No artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners; Also gluten free and kosher
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So how do you find a healthy cereal among the many choices? Experts give clear advice. Lisa Young suggests that the cereal must be 100% whole grain. It must also contain the right amount of fiber. Specifically, a serving of cereal should contain at least 3 grams of fiber.
Wheat, rice and oats are all naturally whole grains. This means they contain all three key parts of the grain. The bran, the endosperm and the nutrient-rich germ core. This complete structure contains the nutrients you want. It also provides fiber, vitamins and minerals like magnesium. Eating whole grains has long-term health benefits. Studies have shown that they help with longevity and weight loss.
Unfortunately, many breakfast cereals today are made from refined grains. This process removes the bran and germ portion of the grain. What remains is primarily the endosperm portion. Cassetti points out that this practice takes away as much as two-thirds of the nutrients. This leaves a product that is easier to process. It has a longer shelf life, but also fewer nutrients. That’s why it’s important to look for the 100% whole grain label. Or see if whole grains are listed first on the ingredient list.
Added sugar is another major issue to consider. Katherine Shary says cereals should always have less added sugar. A healthier choice is 6 grams of sugar or less per serving. For a quick look at sugar content, start by checking the ingredient list. If sugar is in the first three places on the ingredient list, it’s high. The ingredient list is organized by weight, so sugar is the main ingredient.
What if you have a sweet tooth in the morning? Shary offers a practical solution. It’s best to buy plain whole grain cereal and add fruit yourself at home to make it sweeter. Or add a little honey or maple syrup. This way you can control exactly how much sugar you add and then slowly reduce it. This is a simple and effective strategy to better control your sugar intake.
Other foods are needed to make cereal healthy and filling, and Shary suggests adding more ingredients to your bowl. Milk provides protein, which is often the missing nutrient, she says. To add fiber and healthy fats, you can add nuts. Ground flaxseeds, fresh or dried fruit are also good. These additions can turn a nutrient-poor bowl into a nutritionally balanced meal. It will keep you full longer than you expect.
Product on Amazon: Honey Nut Cheerios, Heart Healthy Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal with Whole Grain Oats, 10.8 oz
Brand: Cheerios
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 2.99 USD
Rating: 4.8 Total reviews: 51848
Features:
1. MADE WITH REAL HONEY: Sweetened whole grain oat cereal with real honey and natural almond flavor in every delicious spoonful; Whole grain oats are the first ingredient in this honey nut cereal for kids and adults; An ideal pantry staple
2. CAN HELP LOWER CHOLESTEROL as part of a heart healthy diet; 3g of soluble fiber daily from whole grain oat foods, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease; Honey Nut Cheerios provides .75g per serving
3. GLUTEN FREE CEREAL: Pour it in a bowl with cold milk for an irresistible, gluten free part of an easy breakfast; Pack some up in a lunch box for gluten free snacks on the go; Add to homemade cereal bars and other kids snack food recipes
4. WHOLE GRAIN: 22g of whole grain (at least 48g recommended daily), 12 vitamins and minerals, and is a good source of calcium and fiber per serving
5. CONTAINS: One cardboard box of crunchy Honey Nut Cheerios, Heart Healthy Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal, 10.8 oz; Perfect for instant snacking, or a part of breakfast and meals
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Knowing what to avoid is important, as is knowing what to look for.Shary highlighted a few “red flags” as she scanned the grain aisles there. The first was color, which she was quick to point out. Healthy cereals don’t contain a lot of color. Bright blues, greens and reds usually come from synthetic dyes. Some studies have shown that dyes can also cause hyperactivity in sensitive children.
Next, pay attention to the terms used on the package. Shary list terms signal that you will be consuming high added sugars. Be careful with terms such as frosted, honey, and granola. In addition, she warns that coated cereals or marshmallows are not good either. She tells you straight up that these contain a lot of sugar. These marketing tactics make cereal appealing.
Shary advises to be careful of dried fruit in the box. It sounds healthy, but it’s not always healthy. Raisins or other dried fruits are often coated in a layer of sugar, and adding your own dried fruits allows for better sugar control.
Product on Amazon: Plant-Based and Vegan Breakfast Cereal by Three Wishes – Unsweetened, 1 Pack – More Protein and Less Sugar Snack – Gluten-Free, Grain-Free – Non-GMO
Brand: Three Wishes
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 11.26 USD
Features:
1. Gluten & Grain Free Unsweetened Cereal: Start your day off right with delicious, gluten and grain free Three Wishes Cereal. Our unsweetened flavor is a delicious replacement to those sugary cereals you’re used to. Stays crunchy even after you add the milk. 8.6 oz box. 6 Pack.
2. They Say Good Things Come in Threes: Three Wishes Unsweetened cereal contains 8g of protein, 0g of sugar and is made with nutrient-rich, plant-based ingredients. An excellent breakfast or snack choice.
3. More Protein: Pack in the protein without even cracking an egg! All our cereals offer 8g of protein per serving.
4. Know What’s in Your Cereal: You’ll find our ingredients are simple. What you won’t find is wheat, corn, rice, oats, peanuts, or soy. Non-GMO, Vegan, Kosher and Certified Gluten-Free.
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Sometimes it’s okay to have cereal for dinner or lunch. Just eat fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains at other times. This perspective reinforces the idea of balance throughout the day, that health and diet is not about one meal or one particular food, but about eating grains throughout the day, as often as you like. A flexible and balanced view encourages your favorite foods. A mindful approach rather than perpetually strict, joyless restrictions.
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