Kickstarting your day with a bowl of cereal? Here’s how to make smart choices in the cereal aisle.
Cereal can be an affordable, convenient and highly nutritious breakfast choice. But some are healthier than others and with so many choices on offer making all sorts of claims, it pays to know what to look for.
Why fibre?
Fibre is essential for healthy digestion, and high-fibre diets can help improve cholesterol levels and protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. Starting your day with a high-fibre breakfast cereal can go a long way towards helping you reach your daily target.
Whole grains first
The healthiest, high-fibre breakfast cereals are made from unrefined whole grains such as oats, wheat, barley, buckwheat and sorghum. Wholegrain cereals provide a steady source of energy and help keep hunger at bay.
Watch the sugar
Some breakfast cereals contain large amounts of added sugar which can cause a rapid spike blood sugar levels followed by a mid-morning energy crash. Avoid cereals with added sugar, honey and molasses high up in their ingredient list.
Fortification
Many breakfast cereals are now enriched with essential vitamins and minerals such as iron and folic acid, niacin and other B vitamins which can boost your intake and help prevent common nutrient deficiencies.
Portion control
Keep an eye on your portion sizes to avoid unintentionally overindulging at breakfast.
What to look for on the label
➜ >10g fibre per 100g
➜ Whole grains are the first ingredient
➜ ‘Very high in fibre’ or ‘Good source of fibre’
➜ Low sugar
For more advice on cereals, we recommend: Does your breakfast cereal provide enough fibre? or How to choose hot cereals
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