Eating Cereal at Breakfast

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Eating Cereal at Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day by eating a nutritious breakfast you better chances of reaching the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and you’re more likely to get all the nutrients you need. The best breakfast cereals are rich in fiber, something most of us don’t get enough of. Sitting down to a healthy, high fiber diet could be the key to maintaining or losing weight. Served hot or cold the label on breakfast cereals supplies nutritional information based on a serving size, usually one ounce. Various additives are added during processing. Sweeteners including sugar or corn syrup. There is no nutritional need for sugar and several varieties do not contain added sugar. These same cereals are lower in fiber. Some cereals are designed to appeal to children. Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, etc. provide about 13 grams of sugar per ounce and many contain more than 300 mg. of sodium per ounce. Cereals with the most sugar contain the least salt. Salt, flavorings, preservatives, vitamin or minerals are added when enriched. Nuts and raisins are other nutritious additions to cereals. The fiber in breakfast cereals is mainly wheat bran, which is essentially insoluble fiber. The body needs both kinds of fiber, soluble, and insoluble, provided in a balanced diet.

The five cereals I chose to review were Cheerios, Honey-Nut Cheerios, Total, Special K, and Oatmeal.

Cheerios are made form whole grain oats. They have no artificial colors or flavors and only one gram of sugar. They are low in fat and have no saturated fat or cholesterol. They are also an excellent source of folic acid and fiber. Cheerios is also the leading cereal that is clinically proven to...

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Choosing a cold cereal is complicated because there are so many brands from which to choose. Many have highly processed ingredients that decrease their nutritional value. A basic guide to picking a healthy cereal is to stick with whole grains; whole grains contain more natural fiber, vitamins and minerals than refined cereals. Look for ingredients such as rolled oats, whole wheat or whole grain flour. Avoid cereals with plain flour, milled flour or meal. Buy cereal that contains at least three to four grams of fiber per ounce. Choose low fat cereals, and avoid cereals with artificial colors and flavors.

Bibliography:

Ronzio, Robert A. (1997). The encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health, 61 Robert A. Ronzio

Fraser, Laura. (2001). Oat Cuisine. Health, 58

Turner, Lisa (2000) Cereal, the “Other” Super bowl. www.findarticles.com

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