Breakfast Cereals

I don't know about you but a few years ago I used to rely on breakfast cereals when I needed something quick and (what I thought was) healthy. I read all those labels to make sure I was getting a flavor I could live with but the best balance of nutrition between comparable brands. So what happened here...

Boy, was I ever wrong! Why! Because I read the front label of the box, not the ingredient/nutrition label.

Now, I'm not going to bore you here with the how's and why's you shouldn't make the same mistakes I did. What I am going to do, give you a checklist here what you should find on that label before you put it in your cart. If you are dead set on purchasing all those boxes and bags anyway, at least do make it the healthiest version you can find for your own and the family's health.

• the line that says Sugars:  6 to 8 grams/serving is good. Try to stay around 10 if possible.
• looking for high fiber - find the box that says 3g/serving or better. The ingredients must say 100% whole grains (the word whole is very important). If you don't see the word whole - don't buy it.
• the serving size must be around 3/4 to 1 cup/serving. If the label says anything less, you are going to be starving within a couple of hours which means you will be grabbing for junk foods because you did not get enough nourishment to carry you through until the next meal.
• try to find a variety marked 135 calories or less/serving
• if your selection says fortified with vitamins and minerals, this will give you a slight increase in nutrients 
• generally avoid any cereal which has the word granola in the name. Most people think this is healthy. But granola is very high in sugars and fats. You are safer buying a small box of true granola and sprinkling this on your "healthy cereal"
• adding fresh fruits and berries is OK, just remember 1/2 cup approximately equals one more carb choice. This then must be added to the quantity on the label. The best fruits, stick to the berries. Raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are the lowest in carbs.
• children's cereals - nothing is going to fall in these parameters. The easiest way to get the kids to accept eating better is start using 1/2 cup of their favorite "junk" cereal to 1/2 cup good cereal. Slowly add a little more of the good stuff and then start adding in a few pieces of real fruit, some good unsweetened coconut flakes or raw nuts etc.. Eventually the kids will be so used to eating your new mix, they won't realize they are not eating all that sugar and food dyes anymore.

So yes, at the onset it's going to take some work to read all those labels and find where the good choices are hiding. But once you find the varieties you know your family likes, with consistent use you will start noticing your body is starting to lose weight, your energy levels have increased and you don't tend to get sick as much any more.