Humpday Hint: Have a Heart for Healthy Cereals

Contributing Author: Gentle Heron

March 7^th is National Cereal Day. But that doesn’t mean we should indulge in sugar-sweetened refined-flour breakfast treat. With all the brightly colored boxes staring at you from the cereal aisle in the supermarket, how can you make a healthy choice for the morning meal?

You should be looking for a cereal with low calories per serving, high in fiber and protein, and full of vitamins and minerals to give you the best nutritional benefits.

For the healthiest cereals, check that each serving contains 5 grams or more of fiber. Fiber in your diet not only helps material move through your digestive system, but it can also help lower blood cholesterol and blood glucose.

The American Diabetes Association recommends bran cereals for diabetics. For more on the role of fiber in the diet, read this article from the Mayo Clinic: Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet.

Also, be sure your cereal choice contains 10 grams or less of sugar per serving. Eating sugar can give you a quick energy boost, but often this is followed by a “sugar crash.” Cavity-causing bacteria thrive on the sugar on your teeth after you eat sweetened cereals. Excess sugar in the bloodstream can lead to depression, weight gain, inflammation, higher blood pressure, insulin resistance, and Type 2 diabetes. Find out more about the effects of a high sugar diet by reading this article at WebMD: How Does Too Much Sugar Affect Your Body?

Still think your cereal needs a little sweetening? Consider topping it with fresh or dried fruit. A sprinkle of cinnamon is also refreshing.

For more information on National Cereal Day, visit www.nationalcerealday.com/.

Images Source: Pixabay