Think Again About Eating Breakfast Cereal

Consider the ingredient list for a popular breakfast cereal that is a "lightly sweetened cereal ... baked with a touch of honey." The box bears the green label boasting it is a Sensible Solution. It is even approved as a healthy choice by WIC (federal program for feeding Women, Infants and Children).

Corn, whole grain wheat, sugar, whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, almonds, vegetable oil, rice flour, wheat flour, rice, malted barley flour, salt, corn syrup, whey, malted corn and barley syrup, honey, cinnamon, artificial flavor, natural flavor, caramel color, annatto extract.

Out of the 22 ingredients listed, 4 are identifiable as nuts or grains and 6 are sweeteners. Those grains have been ground and mixed into slurry and then extruded into flakes or puffs. This process is done at such a high temperature that the nutritive value of the grains is greatly diminished and the cereal is difficult for the body to digest. Then the final four ingredients are vaguely described additives that make the cereal look and taste palatable. Finally, vitamins and minerals are added to the cereal to redeem it as a health food.

Begin looking past the grams of fiber and the grams of sugar when selecting a breakfast cereal. Look beyond the nutrition facts to the ingredients. Is cereal really a healthy choice?

As an alternative, buy true whole grains such as cracked, steel cut, or rolled grains. Try oatmeal, wheat, spelt, and others. Sweeten with natural sweeteners like maple syrup, stevia, sucanat, or honey. Know what it is that you are putting into your body and that every component of it is healthy and beneficial for the body.

Before you pick up another box of cereal, consider the results of the flowing study. Sally Fallon's book Nourishing Traditions (p 468, second ed.) tells of an interesting experiment concerning the health benefits of boxed cereal.