Healthiest Cereal

Selecting the healthiest cereal for breakfast is easier said than done, as most of the products are made from refined grains and contain high amounts of sugar. The healthiest breakfast cereals are low in sugar, high in dietary fiber and contain negligible amount of fats.

Cereal grains lead the list of food items for yielding food energy. They are staple foods that make the base for a healthy diet. However, refining process of these food grains reduces their nutrient value. While some cereal products are loaded with more than seven grams fiber, others are refined, containing negligible amount of dietary fiber. Another issue is the high percentage content of sugar in the products. Thus, selecting the healthiest cereal for breakfast is quite a confusing task for health conscious people.

Healthiest Cereal for Breakfast

As per nutrition experts, everyone should have a healthy breakfast enriched with cereals to start off for the day. In fact, the type of food grain an individual consumes on a daily basis can tell a lot about his/her overall health. Every cereal brand promises to give adequate nutrients and claims several health benefits. Considering this, most people have a query as to 'which is the healthiest cereal'. Following are useful guidelines for selecting the healthiest cereal to eat:

Select Cereals with Whole Grains

The main criterion for including a cereal in the healthiest category is presence of high percentage of fiber. Such high fiber cereals are made from whole grains (not from refined grains). One serving of whole grain is a must for keeping the digestive problems at bay. Recent studies have found out the benefits of whole grains in reducing the risk of heart disease and blood glucose problems.

Examine the Product Labels

While purchasing cereals, go through the ingredients and nutrient value mentioned in the label. Some products mention sugar amount at the last, so that it remains unnoticeable to the buyer. The healthiest cereal should contain minimal sugar and no saturated fats or trans fats. So, look for cereal brands that maintain these attributes and at the same time, taste good.

Cereals Containing Low Sugar

While focusing on the taste of cereals, many manufacturers tend to formulate the products with sweetening agents and artificial flavors. Of course, you can buy healthiest cereals for kids that are formulated with dried berries, bananas, apples, flaxseed, pecans and soy. But, make sure that you opt for cereals low in sugar and high fiber content.

Cereals for Weight Loss

You might have already heard about cereal diet or breakfast cereal diet. It focuses on the fact that cereal gives a full feeling after consuming a minimal serving. Also, whole grains rich in fiber makes a person feel satiated for a longer period. However, do not believe in the products that claim as the healthiest cereals for weight loss. Rather, select high fiber cereals made from whole grains.

Cereals with Health Claims

There are cereals that claim numerous health benefits, such as reducing risk of heart disease and diabetics. But how far the claims are true, depends on the ingredients used in the product. Cereal products that contains large amount of whole grains, oats, psyllium and bran are good for heart patients. For people diagnosed with high blood sugar problems, choose cereals for diabetics.

Healthiest Cereal List

Keeping the above tips in mind, select the best cereals for breakfast. If you love to have plain oatmeal, it is one of the healthiest options. You can have it with milk and fresh fruits. Other healthy, whole-grain cereal products include barley, brown rice, rolled oats and whole wheat flour. Following is the list of cereals that are good for you:

All-Bran Bran Buds

Kashi GoLean

Kellogg’s Complete Oat Bran Flakes

Barbara's Shredded Spoonfuls

Post’s Grape Nuts

Kellogg’s Complete Oat Bran Flakes

Product 19

Cheerios

Health Valley Organic Oat Bran Flakes

General Mills' Total Whole Grain

Special K Protein Plus

Fiber One

Ezekial 4:9 Organic Golden Flax

Shredded Wheat

Golden Grahms

French Toast Crunch

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Nutri-Grain

Multi-Grain Chex

In case you prefer cereal bars for getting instant energy, make a point to choose the healthiest cereal bars. The key tips for selecting them are low calories from sugar, 3-5 gram fiber, more than 5 gram protein and low fat content. Some of the healthiest cereal bars are Kashi Go Lean, Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, Quaker Oatmeal Breakfast Squares, Power Bar Harvest, Clif bars and Odwalla Bars. While these healthiest cereals are prefect for breakfast and snacks, some of them may yield more calories than your need. Hence, if you are watching your calorie intake, consider reducing the serving amount.