Can you name 3 of the top cereals to eat?

Who doesn’t enjoy a bow of cereal, whether for breakfast or for a good snack?  How can you choose cereals that taste good but are also good for you?  Some cereals are so loaded with sugar or with chemicals, one has to doubt if these cereals provide much nutritional benefit.   Consumer Reports put 32 cereals through their testing procedures.  What did they look for in cereals and what cereals do they recommend and why?

As a nutritionist, I recommend eating cereals for adults and kids.  A bowl of a healthy cereal makes a great after school snack for kids.  My husband often has a bowl of cereal as an afternoon snack.  If you choose a whole grain cereal, then add some real cow’s milk and some fruit, you have a very healthy breakfast or snack. 

• Labels and packaging – don’t be fooled by labeling on cereals.  Just because a manufacturer added some trendy ingredient like flax or promotes “grain-free” doesn’t mean it is a healthy cereal.  Consumer Reports note that Nature’s Path Organic Golden Turmeric cereal, sounds healthy but is actually low in fiber so not the best cereal choice.  Choosing Special K Protein Honey Almond Ancient Grains cereal also sounds like it would be a healthy choice.  Not so, according to Consumer Reports as this cereal is “high in added sugars and has soy protein isolate, a highly processed ingredient”.  The Picky Eater Blog recommends avoiding cereals with “soy protein isolate or soy protein added”.
• Choose whole grain cereals – Look at the ingredients for “whole grain” or “whole wheat” listed first.  This means the cereal is mostly whole grain.  Whole grains add fiber to your diet which may lower your risk of heart disease, and lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes.  The fiber in whole grain cereals slows absorption and thus slows the rise of blood sugar.  Look for the “G” for General Mills.  All General Mills cereals are whole grain.
• Added Sugar – one doesn’t have to choose “sugar-free” cereals to eat healthy.  My daughter likes Frosted Mini-Wheats.  Yes, this cereal has some added sugar, but it is also whole grain, provides fiber and a good way to add a serving of whole grains to her day.  Dietitian, Joan Saige Blake, states, “If some sugar helps you make a fiber-rich cereal part of your morning routine, it’s worth it”.  Another daughter likes Honey Nut Cheerios.  Cheerios are whole grain and a great way to start one’s day.  Yes, plain Cheerios can be a healthier choice but even I add some table sugar when I am eating plain Cheerios.
• Grain-free cereals – To me it is odd that any cereal advertises as “high protein”.  We don’t eat grain foods for protein.  And the protein in cereals isn’t a complete protein as grains are missing or low in some amino acids our bodies need to make protein.  If you want protein, choose meat, fish, poultry and real cow’s milk products like milk, cheese or yogurt.  Consumer Reports notes that grain-free cereals may have added sugars or may be sweetened with sugar substitutes.  The protein comes from processed protein sources such as peas or lentils.  To get more protein in your breakfast, add some real cow’s milk to your cereal.  I make my morning oatmeal with a cup of real cow’s milk and I add 8 grams of a very high -quality protein to my morning.  Cow’s milk also adds calcium, vitamin D and many other nutrients.  In fact, Quaker Oats recommends milk with oatmeal as it “helps keep you full through the morning”.  What about the taste of grain-free cereals?  Consumer Reports testers were not a fan.  “None of the six grain-free cereals was a flavor stand out”.  And your pocket book will feel it as grain-free cereals cost more, about twice as much as cereals made with grains.  

A very healthy cereal choice.

• Portion size – watch the portions as it is easy to eat much more than the portion size noted on the nutrition label.  If you can afford the calories, no problem.  But some cereals pack a calorie punch such as Post Great Grains Raisins, Dates and Pecans.  A very tasty cereal.  But pouring out 2 cups will be 500 calories of cereal and that is before you add the milk.  A healthy cereal but you may want to measure out the serving size of this cereal.  Most serving sizes of cereals range from 2/3 cup to 1. 5 cups.  Measure it out and you may be surprised that 2/3 cup of cereal doesn’t look like much in your bowl.  Testers at Consumer Reports asked people to pour out the amount of cereal they normally eat and almost all poured out much more than the serving size on the box and some over twice as much.
• Fiber:  The Picky Eater Blog recommends looking for cereals with at least 4-5 grams of fiber per serving. 

What are the top 12 cereals according to Consumer Reports (adapted) and KTK Nutrition?

Cereal	Serving Size (cups)	Fiber (grams)	Added Sugar  (grams)
Quaker Oats Old Fashioned	½ cup dry makes 1 cup hot cereal	4	0
Quaker Instant Oatmeal  Apples & Cinnamon Lower Sugar	1 packet	3	2
Nature’s Path Organic  Heritage Flakes	1	7	5
Post Grape-Nuts Flakes	1	5	3
General Mills Cheerios	1.5	4	2
Post Great Grains Raisins, Dates & Pecans	3/4	4	4
General Mills   Total	1	4	5
One Degree Organic Foods   Sprouted Ancient Maize Flakes	¾	3	4
General Mills Wheaties	1	4	5
Kind Honey Almond	2/3	4	7
Post   Grape-Nuts Original	1/2	7	0
Barbara’s Multigrain Spoonfuls Original	1	5	7

Interesting that Quaker Oatmeal was not on the Consumer Report’s list, but it is a number one healthy cereal in my book.  Since it really should be the top choice for healthy cereals, I list it as number one. Personally, I like the Quaker Instant Oatmeal with less added sugar.   

Choose the lower sugar instant oatmeal.

Choose a cereal you like but also one that packs a nutrient punch.  A bowl of cereal is such a great way to get a serving of whole grains into your or a child’s diet.  Many kids don’t like whole grain bread as it is too dry.  Let your child choose any General Mills cereal as every one of their cereals is whole grain.  Have a growing teenager?  Let them have some cereal as a healthy afternoon snack.  Be sure to have some real cow’s milk on hand to put on the cereal as growing teens need calcium and vitamin D.   

Real cow’s milk causing stomach problems?  Then choose Fa!rlife milk which has no lactose and even more protein than regular cow’s milk.  Let your kids enjoy some Fa!rlife chocolate milk as an afternoon treat along with a healthy cereal.  I just saw an ad for Chobani milk.  This is another real milk option that is a lactose free milk that you or your kids can try.  A great choice for teens and adults needing more protein as this Chobani packs a whopping 20 grams of high-quality protein per cup. 

Cheerios a healthy cereal choice.

 

Sources:  cereals , General Mills , Dietitian ,  Quaker Oats ,   Picky Eater Blog , Consumer Reports , Quaker Instant Oatmeal , Fa!rlife milk  Image Sources:  Quaker Oats Old Fashioned , Quaker instant oatmeal , Cheerios