Healthy Breakfast cereal. Is there such a thing?

I used to think breakfast cereal, especially museli, was pretty a healthy breakfast option.

Now, with all the information available about what’s in many cereals I’ve changed my mind. I also think many others have changed theirs as well.

Nothing good ever comes out of a box.

I once heard this from a nutritionist friend when we were chatting about cereals. (Yes, I actually do chat about cereals).

And when you look a bit closer at what’s in most breakfast cereals you’ll probably agree. It’s too easy to point the finger at the obvious culprits – the mass-produced kid-friendly cereals, especially the chocolate based ones. We know these are nutritionally poor. But what about the so-called healthy cereals?

Many of these healthy cereals point to the fruits included in their ingredients as if that’s evidence of their goodness. What they don’t highlight (but it’s there on the nutritional panel) is the surge in sugar levels from dried fruit.

Don’t get me wrong, fruit is vital everyday food. But the better option is fresh fruit added to your cereal. It’ll taste better and give you far more nutrition, especially fibre.

The most important part of any cereal – the nutritional panel.

Have you noticed when you’re considering a new product you immediately turn it over to check-out the nutritional panel? I know I do. Without really thinking about it.

I guess the reason is that it just feels more credible than other claims made on-pack. The nutritional panel and ingredient list seems like a government requirement to manufacturers and wrong information would be punishable – which, in fact, it is.

Ticking the cereal boxes

So what should we look for in the nutritional information? Of course, it depends on what you’re looking for, for example weight-loss, low GI, organic or just an all-round healthy start to the day.

For me, the best breakfast cereals have to tick all the boxes: natural ingredients, low carb (say, under 50%), high protein, high fibre, low salt, no additives and, most of all, low sugar.

Sugar is the enemy of a healthy breakfast.

Starting your day with a hefty dose of refined, processed sugar like what is found in many cereals, is not a good start. Tasty, sure, but the honeymoon is soon over when the sugar-high wears off and your energy levels dip. Not to mention the 10.30am hunger pains.

Wean yourself off the sugar by mixing some low sugar cereal with your regular cereal. Gradually, over a week or so, increase the level of the low sugar cereal and you’ll notice your body get used to (and appreciate) the goodness of a healthy, low sugar cereal.

Enjoy!