If you roll off the bed within the morning, do you attain for a bowl of cereal to interrupt the quick? Hungry cereal lovers purchased $23 million price of packaged cereals within the U.S. in 2024, and are anticipated to purchase $64 billion globally. Individuals love the comfort of packaged cereals and consider them as a wholesome breakfast. However how wholesome are they?
Some, sure, and a few, not a lot. With some ideas from three vitamin consultants, you possibly can choose the most effective cereals to your well being.
First, don’t get confused by a brand new meals classification that villainizes all cereals.
The NOVA meals classification system has been inflicting pointless confusion about which meals are “ultraprocessed.” It was developed by the Heart for Epidemiological Research in Well being and Diet, Faculty of Public Well being on the College of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and it teams meals by their degree of processing and recommends avoiding “ultraprocessed meals” like sweet and soda. All breakfast cereal is lumped within the ultraprocessed class. This has prompted debate amongst vitamin consultants.
Courtney Pelitera, a registered dietician (RD), thinks the NOVA scale is being misinterpreted. “Processing merely refers to all bodily, organic and chemical strategies used throughout the meals manufacturing course of, together with using components. This classification system was by no means meant to find out the ‘healthiness of meals’ as has turn into widespread on social media channels.”
In accordance with RD Kelly Toups LeBlanc, the VP of Diet Programming at Oldways, not all ultra-processed meals are created equal. “Some ultra-processed meals, like entire grain breakfast cereals, comprise vital meals teams really helpful within the Dietary Pointers for Individuals. Different ultra-processed meals, like sweet bars and mushy drinks, don’t.”
She takes problem with the best way the NOVA record categorizes meals, particularly whole-grain cereals.
“For instance, refined grains like all-purpose flour, degermed cornmeal, and white rice, which have been processed to have their healthful bran and germ eliminated, are one way or the other thought of minimally processed, placing them in the identical class as contemporary broccoli — whereas packaged 100% entire grain breads and entire grain breakfast cereals are thought of ultra-processed,” LeBlanc stated.
The reality is that entire grain cereals may be an vital a part of vitamin help packages, offering useful vitamin to weak populations. “In a 2023 study from the USDA, authorities scientists designed a nutritious seven-day, 2,000-calorie eating regimen by which 91% of energy got here from ultra-processed meals,” LeBlanc stated.
What does an RD search for in a breakfast cereal?
Sarah Keathley, RD, seems for this stuff first:
Protein: Protein is liable for constructing muscle, physique tissue and offering vitality. Research has begun to point out indicators that protein at breakfast might have constructive advantages, together with urge for food regulation, higher muscle growth and general decreased vitality consumption all through the day.
Fiber: It retains you full and happy, and is a mandatory part for intestine well being and regularity. Per the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH), virtually 95% of adults and children are missing in fiber consumption. Cereal could be a nice vitamin instrument to assist get a each day enhance of fiber to start out your day.
Minimal elements: This affords transparency. A shopper can perceive what goes into their product and in the end into their physique.
Low added sugar content material: Hold it to 5-10g or much less per serving (that’s one or two teaspoons of sugar in a single serving of added sugar). The American Coronary heart Affiliation recommends ladies eat no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day and males not more than 9 teaspoons per day. Per the NIH, extreme sugar consumption is a significant part of the weight problems epidemic. It’s also an element within the trending enhance of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes).
RDs rank the top-selling cereals within the U.S.:
Keathley and Pelitera regarded on the top-10-selling cereals within the U.S., and these are their rankings.
#1 Cheerios (hottest)
- Low in added sugar at solely 1g per serving
- Minimal elements
- Greater in fiber at 4g serving and protein at 5g serving
#2 Frosted Mini Wheats (eighth hottest)
- Greater fiber content material with 6g per serving
- Greater protein content material at 5g per serving
- Why second place? It boasts 12g of added sugar per serving to attain the frosted topping on every mini wheat chew.
- Observe that it incorporates BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) to increase the shelf lifetime of the cereal. Though it’s deemed protected by the FDA, this additive has raised issues previously with its security for human consumption in bigger doses. Particularly, targeting organ toxicity if consumed over a long-term interval with excessive doses. BHT is banned in Japan and the European Union.
#3 Life Cereal (ninth hottest)
- Fiber at 3g per serving
- Protein at 4g per serving
- Added sugar at 8g per serving
- Accommodates two dyes
#4 Honey Nut Cheerios (third hottest)
- Fiber at 3g per serving
- Protein at 3g per serving
- Added sugar at 12g per serving
- That is nonetheless a bigger quantity of added sugar for one serving, however does comprise much less dye and elements than its different counterparts as compared. Though, consider, this cereal does comprise a controversial ingredient known as tripotassium phosphate. The FDA considers the small quantities of this ingredient protected to make use of as a preservative, however some fear this will likely have long run adversarial results on renal function.
#5 Fruit Loops (sixth hottest)
- 2g fiber per serving
- 2g protein per serving
- 8g added sugar per serving
- Though it’s decrease in added sugar than Honey Nut Cheerios, it does comprise at the very least 4 various kinds of dyes to create its vibrant colours in every bowl.
- It additionally incorporates BHT
#6 Cinnamon Toast Crunch (fifth hottest)
- 3g fiber
- 2g protein
- 4g of fats, slightly increased than the opposite cereals, because it incorporates a bigger quantity of canola or sunflower oil
- 12g added sugar per serving
- Trisodium phosphate is an added ingredient, which provides a crunch-like texture, together with coloration enhancer. It’s thought of protected in small quantities by the FDA. This ingredient when utilized in a lot bigger quantities is taken into account a strong cleansing product (removes grease and dirt), which is then dangerous to people, pets and crops.
#7 Fortunate Charms (seventh hottest)
- 2g fiber per serving
- 3g protein per serving
- 12g added sugar per serving
- 4 meals dyes to paint the marshmallows
- Additionally incorporates trisodium phosphate
#8 Frosted Flakes (2nd hottest)
- 1g fiber per serving
- 2g protein per serving
- 12g added sugar per serving
- Accommodates BHT
#9 Fruity Pebbles (tenth hottest)
- 0g fiber per serving
- 1g protein per serving
- 12g added sugar per serving
- 5 completely different dyes to attain the rainbow coloration impact within the pebbles
Different packaged cereals consultants suggest:
Other than the highest sellers, like Cheerios, our RDs had some private picks to suggest.
Keathley likes the numbers on these tasty cereals:
Kashi GO Crunch: 3/4-cup serving; 190 energy/serving; 16g entire grains; 10g added sugar; 9g fiber; 9g protein
Nature’s Path Natural Heritage Flakes Cereal: 1-cup serving; 160 energy/serving; 23 entire grains; 5g added sugar; 7g fiber; 5g protein
Ezekiel 4:9: 1/2-cup serving; 180 kcals/serving; 0g sugar; 6g fiber; 8g protein
Puffins Cereal: 1-cup serving; 130 energy/serving; 11g entire grains 7g added sugar; 6g fiber; 3g protein
Kashi Autumn Wheat Cereal: That is going to be just like Frosted Mini Wheats however It incorporates 7g of fiber, 7g of protein and solely 7g of added sugar.
Cascadian Farms Blended Berry Cereal is a superb choice with zero added sugar, and 6g of fiber.
