Photo: Tavo P.
We all know that Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch aren’t the best ways to start our morning. With too much sugar and too little nutrition, many breakfast cereals will keep you fueled for far less time than busy or pregnant moms need. No one wants a bowl of sugar first thing in the morning!
In recent years, cereal companies have been creating and marketing more healthy and organic cereal options. The increased focus on healthy and convenient breakfasts has brought many great products to our morning tables, but amongst all the winners, there are also several losers that hide behind a mask of health and nutrition. Read on to find out what cereals you should and shouldn’t choose for breakfast. You might be surprised what makes our list!
The Winners
Many nutritionists agree that your bowl of breakfast cereal should have no more than 5 grams of sugar per serving with at least 5 grams of fiber. Low sugar and high fiber translates into a more filling and long-lasting meal. Whole grains are easy to find on the cereal aisle, so breakfast is a great way to get in one of your daily servings.
Shredded Wheat is a traditional classic. With 6 grams of fiber and NO sugar, this cereal is great with fresh fruit, nuts and a hefty splash of almond milk.
Barbara’s Original Puffins are a great option for breakfast…and for snacking. These bite sized pillows of crunchy corn and oats offer 5 grams of fiber with only 5 grams of sugar. Children and adults alike will enjoy a bowl.
Kashi Go Lean is also an excellent choice if you want your morning meal to last you extra long. Packed with fiber, whole grains and more protein than an egg, a bowl of Kashi Go Lean will keep you satisfied far longer than most cereal brands.
The Losers
While the concept of granola is great—rolled oats, honey, dried fruit, nuts—most granola brands add in sugar and preservatives, making a once-healthy treat no better than a sugary muffin.
Joy Behar found that a typical serving of granola has 4 teaspoons of sugar, which equates to 60 calories just from the white stuff. So when choosing a granola brand, take time to read the label. Avoid granolas that have sugar listed in the ingredient list and opt for one that uses a natural sweetener.
Although Kashi made a winner with its Kashi Go Lean, its sister product—Kashi Go Lean Crunch—has as much sugar as Fruit Loops! Lesson learned: even though a cereal might appear healthy, it’s important to read the label and find out exactly what you’re eating.
And perhaps the worst news of all? Even many of the cereals that did make our list still have questionable practices like using GMO ingredients. So perhaps the best option is to stick with a time-honored classic—a bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts.
About Monet Moutrie
Monet Moutrie is a writer and baker, who lives in Austin, Texas with her three cats and husband. Between government work, graduate school and her own blog, Anecdotes and Apple Cores, nothing sounds better to Monet than an evening of yoga, a cup of Earl Grey tea and a novel. Knock on her front door and you'll find her pulling out a loaf of bread from the oven while brainstorming ideas for her own work of fiction.
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