BREAKFAST CEREAL FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Your Weight-Loss Food: Healthier Breakfast Cereal
FREE DAILY DIET TIP
By James Beckerman, M.D.
Published April 03, 2011

Here’s a simple rule. If it has a cartoon character on the box, don’t eat what’s inside. Sugary breakfast cereals have been marketed to children for decades. It’s one of the biggest advertising successes of our generation. Show kids a cartoon tiger or bumblebee eating something crunchy, and POW! – cereal sales and childhood obesity go through the roof. Even though you may no longer be entranced by cartoon characters or jingles, the sweet taste and crunch still appeal to the kid in you too.

The two things you should be looking for in a cold breakfast cereal are whole grains and fiber. Avoid refined grains because they will not fill you up and will leave you looking for doughnuts once you get to work. Avoid cereals with added sugar – if you can actually see the sugar crystals on the cereal, it is not a good sign. Choose cereals with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving, and if sugar is listed as the first ingredient, move on. And avoid trans fats (aka partially hydrogenated oils) and high-fructose corn syrup when possible. You may be surprised at some seemingly healthy choices that you actually should avoid.

Cereal Solutions

Fiber One Bran Cereal
Fiber One Honey Clusters
Kashi Heart to Heart Honey
Toasted Oat Cereal
Post Grape-Nuts Trai lMix
Crunch Cereal
Quaker Oatmeal Squares
Raisin bran
Shredded wheat

Cereals to Avoid

Apple Jacks
Basic Four
Cap’n Crunch
Chex (Rice/Corn)
Cocoa anything
Cookie Crisp
Corn Pops
Crispix
Froot Loops
Frosted Flakes
Honey Bunches of Oats
Kix
Product 19
Rice Krispies
Smacks
Special K

Eating a healthy breakfast is not just about choosing the right cereal. It’s also about choosing the right amount cereal. As with chocolate, red wine and pretty much anything else, the benefit is in moderation. A typical serving size is one cup. Fill the rest of your bowl with fruit and non-fat milk for a healthier breakfast.

Always look up!
Jamie

Cardiologist James Beckerman shares 200 evidence-based strategies for prevention, wellness, and weight loss with his new book, The Flex Diet: Design-Your-Own Weight Loss Plan.

To learn more about the Flex Diet, visit TheFlexDiet.com.

MY THOUGHTS

I love Shredded Wheat and Raisin Bran. But I also love Froot Loops and Honey Bunches. Thanks to this article. Now I know what to tick off from my grocery list.