Cereal: The Healthy Way to Kick off Your Day

Kellogg’s Special K cereal is the best known attempt to market cereal as a diet food. Now, I doubt that most professional nutritionists worth their salt would recommend cereal as two meals a day for a serious answer to your long-term weight loss goals. But that’s not to say it should be discounted as a healthy food option that can and should be a regular part of your diet.

Cereal, especially those with a formidable amount of fiber, can be a great way to start your day, and avoid premature hunger pangs before lunch. I, for one, enjoy cereal… even if it’s as an evening sweet snack. It’s usually a better choice than other sweet tooth solutions.

A study confirms the benefits. The Journal of the American Dietetic Association published a study that revealed women who included high-fiber cereal in their low-calorie eating plans lost weight without losing crucial nutrients.

“Go for cereal with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving and less than 10 grams of sugar per 100 calories,” says SELF Editor-in-Chief Lucy Danziger.

Danziger recommends the following brands: Kashi GoLean, Fiber One Honey Clusters and Nature’s Path Optimum Slim.

The American Dietetic Association recommends the following for a hot cereal on a cold winter day:

  • Use milk or your favorite fruit juice in place of water while cooking cereal.
  • Blend in chopped fresh fruit, dried fruit or nuts.
  • Top with powdered milk for added calcium.
  • Liven up your cereal with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or cloves.

2 Responses to Cereal: The Healthy Way to Kick off Your Day

I wonder if those Danziger recommendations have extra, added fiber. 5 gm per 100 cal is a huge amount. Breakfast cereals with that much fiber are quite uncommon.

By comparison, Quaker Oats, dry, has 4 gm per 100 cal, and Kelloggs Special K has 1 gm per 117 cal.

Fiber is getting so popular that some food manufacturers are adding EXTRA fiber to a product already made out of whole grains.

-Steve

rob says:

If you are looking for a delicious calorie-mindful, heart healthy snacks, try Kardea’s gourmet nutrition bars. 7g fiber, 7g protein, only 150 calories with 1g plant sterols for cholesterol management. Vegetarian and kosher. Interested in trying samples, Kardea Nutrition – Heart Healthy & Inspired.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *