👉 We give you 5 tips for Healthy Box Cereal Breakfast! ✅ How to choose your cereal, milk, even add protein.
As a child you probably liked the sweetest cereal there was. Chocolate for breakfast!
As an adult you already know more, but very little is known about healthy breakfast cereals.
«I’ve definitely thought about it, and yes, there are grains that can be part of a healthy diet,» says Amanda Beaver, a wellness nutritionist at Houston Methodist Hospital.
With that said, Beaver doesn’t recommend just any breakfast cereal.
Yes, cereal can be healthy
Nutritionist Beaver believes that healthy breakfast cereals bring several health benefits such as:
- A good start to the day with fiber
- Helps to reach the daily requirements of vitamins and minerals that you need
- It’s practical
«Whole grain cereals are a good source of fiber and are fortified with vitamins and minerals,» says Beaver. «This may benefit people who have a hard time getting enough iron and fiber from the foods they typically eat.»
The milk that is added to the bowl of cereal complements breakfast as it is a rich source of protein, as long as you choose a milk with an adequate or high protein content.
Serving yourself a cereal with milk is extremely practical because of how easy it is to prepare and ideal to start a busy morning.
«Because of the aforementioned benefits, cereal is a great breakfast option, as long as you’re mindful of choosing one that isn’t high in sugar,» specifies Beaver.
Beware of cereals high in sugar
The cereals an adult chooses for breakfast may be full of added sugar and hidden to make it taste better. They are very different from the natural sugars found in fruits for example, which are accompanied by other important nutrients such as fiber, protein or fat.
Added sugars offer no nutritional benefit to you and will only fill you up with empty calories that can lead to excess weight gain and, over time, lead to chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
“Cereal brands have decreased the amount of added sugars over time, but they still contain too much,” warns the Houston Methodist Hospital nutritionist, adding, “I would not recommend eating these high-sugar cereals for breakfast, or at any time of the day.»
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 24 grams per day for an adult woman and no more than 36 grams per day for an adult man.
“If you choose, for example, a cereal that provides 13 grams of added sugar per serving, you won’t have much room for more added sugar throughout the day, so it’s best not to eat them,” explains Beaver.
5 Tips for Making Cereal a Healthy Breakfast
This is the Beaver nutritionist’s guide to choosing your morning cereal correctly:
1. Choose a cereal with less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving or less
First things first, check the nutrition label on the side or back of the box.
«My recommendation is to choose cereals with less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving or less,» says nutritionist Beaver.
Focus on the amount of added sugar and not the total sugar content. Total sugars also include natural sugar from dried fruits contained in some cereals and are a source of fiber and vitamins.
“If a high-sugar cereal craves you a lot, then choose a high-fiber, low-sugar cereal for most days and very occasionally have the high-sugar one just to treat yourself 1-2 times a day. month,” suggests Beaver.
2. Choose a cereal with 5 grams of fiber or more
For maximum health benefit, opt for a high-fiber breakfast cereal, ideally with 5 grams or more, recommends nutritionist Beaver.
Fiber has great health attributes:
- Prevent sudden spikes in blood sugar
- Keep you feeling full for longer, as fiber takes longer to digest
- Stimulates regular bowel movements
- Supports the microbiome in the GI tract as microorganisms from the gut flora help with digestion and promote good stomach and gut health
According to the American Society for Nutrition, only 5% of men and 9% of women meet their daily fiber needs, which should be 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
3. Add fruit to your cereal bowl for antioxidants and a pick-me-up for the day.
“Put fruit on your cereal, this will provide you not only with more fiber, vitamins and minerals, but it will also give you antioxidants with great health benefits. There are breakfast cereals that are low in added sugar but low in fiber, and adding fruit on top offsets the fiber issue,” adds Beaver.
4. Add a source of protein to your cereal
Cow’s milk or soy beverages are an excellent source of protein, making them an excellent choice for turning a dry boxed cereal into a rich, balanced dish.
Other popular “milks” are almond and oat milk.
«If you choose almond or oatmeal drinks as a protein source for your cereal, we recommend eating a fried or hard-boiled egg as well to ensure you increase the protein level of your breakfast,» recommends Beaver.
Alternatively, you can meet your protein needs at breakfast by skipping the milk and having a bowl of yogurt with your cereal and fruit on top.
5. Watch portion sizes when choosing granola
Granola can also be eaten as a breakfast cereal, but bigger mistakes can be made when choosing.
«Granola is typically denser in fat and added sugars than a regular breakfast cereal,» warns the nutrition expert at Houston Methodist Hospital. “This can make the caloric density of the granola higher thus causing the serving size to have to be smaller when consuming it. It is very important to check labels so as not to go overboard with consumption.”
Find the more Breakfast option here. Also you can find where to have the Best Breakasft in Mexico City here.