Sunday, January 16, 2011

Food Swap: Which Cereal Is Healthier?

Cereal is one of my favorite breakfast meals! It's quick and easy, and it can fuel your body with essential vitamins and nutrients. But watch out: Your seemingly "healthy" cereal may be packed with sugar or artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame. A box of Post Raisin Bran claims it promotes digestive health – probably because the cereal has 8 grams of dietary fiber, which aids in healthy digestion. But Raisin Bran is also loaded with 19 grams of sugar per serving! Pairing this cereal with 1 cup of 1% milk will pump your body with a total of 34 grams of sugar! This is way too much sugar. It exceeds my recommendation for 15 grams of sugar daily, and it’s only the first meal of the day!

Try this cereal instead: Uncle Sam Original Cereal. It has less than 1 gram of sugar per serving, 10 grams of fiber, and it includes flax seeds, which are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. If you pair this cereal with almond milk, you have a delicious, healthy breakfast that doesn't send your blood sugar skyrocketing or put you on the fast track to gaining belly fat. For added sweetness, sprinkle on a packet of stevia.

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