Cereal is a common household food, especially for those who have kids at home. It is a great fast, easy, way to get a healthy breakfast in. However, all cereals are not created equal. Cereal can be a good choice and a part of your fat burning diet if you choose those cereals that are healthy for you. So, how do you know if your cereal is a good choice? Here are some guidelines:
- The first ingredient listed should be, “whole grain,” “whole wheat,” or “wheat bran.” Avoid cereals with the word “enriched.” That usually means processed.
- Your cereal should contain at least five grams of fiber
- Your cereal should contain at least three grams of protein
- The added sugars in your cereal shouldn’t be more than 25% of the total calories (To figure this out multiply the grams of sugar per serving by 4. Divide this number by the total calories per serving. Multiply this # by 100 for the percentage of calories from sugar) If you can find a cereal that is just above the 25% mark, has 5+ grams of fiber, and the first ingredient is “whole grains,” it would still be a great choice considering it’s no higher than 30%. Generally, more than 7 grams of sugar is too high.
- Avoid cereals with phrases like: “hydrogenated oils,” “dyes or artificial colors,” and “chemical preservatives.”
- If it looks too delicious to be true…it might be. Look at the nutrition facts first!
Some nutritionally good cereal picks are: Fiber One Bran Cereal, Fiber One Honey Clusters, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Shredded Wheat, Frosted Mini Wheats, Raisin Bran, (this one appears to be high in sugar, but the sugar content is actually coming from the raisins in the cereal,) and Kashi Cereals.
Serve up some of this deliciousness with a little bit of skim milk, soy milk, or almond milk, & voila! You are a happy camper.
Read more about healthy diet choices at howtolosebellyfat101.com