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Breakfast Cereals-2007's Best By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
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| Tuesday, March 3, 2009 |
Healthiest breakfast cereal is whole grain. If you're trying to lose weight, control cholesterol or diabetes, or simply need a lot of energy, your best bet is a hot cooked cereal grains such as oats or barley, rice or wheat grains boiled and served as a meal oats. Flavored with raisins or other dried fruit, cinnamon, and maybe a handful of nuts like pine nuts.
If you prefer cold cereal, it is necessary to check the ingredient list carefully. The first ingredient should be whole grain. Then search the list and see if the words "partially hydrogenated", put the box back on the shelf. We recommend that you avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils (or "trans fat") and that still appears in many cereals (see list below).
Once you've eliminated all the brands made with refined grains or partially hydrogenated oils, check for added sugars (who want little or nothing) and fiber (you want a lot.)
Raisins or other dried fruit are added a large amount of grams of sugar listed on the nutrition panel, which are not distinguishable from sugar, so it can only estimate the amounts.
The fiber content listed on the nutrition label can be confusing, since it is based on size, very light and cereals (such as puffed wheat) show little fiber per serving, but an acceptable amount to adjust the weight. Made from cereals, bran (the outer covering removed from whole grains) have a higher fiber content of cereals made of whole grains (which have the germ and the starch grains, and fiber), but may be difficult to digest.
2007 Update: I am happy to note that partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) are drawn from many cereals. The former includes 56 brands with PAHO, the new list only has 13! Most of the popular General Mills, Post and Quaker cereal brands no longer have. Kelloggs is the creator of one of the major cereals has not yet been withdrawn from many of its main products, we hope to respond to consumer pressure soon.
Is it really the whole grain? Manufacturers have also responded to the call for more whole grains in our diet, so it is a lot more options in response to my recommendation of "whole grains as the first ingredient." However, many who claim to be "whole grain" still include refined grains. You may have to do some detective work to see what you're getting. An ingredient of whole grain cereal (ie, shredded wheat, puffed wheat, oatmeal) are sure bets. If the ground corn, corn flour, wheat flour or rice
# Recommended: Cereals made from whole grains
(No trans fats, little or no added sugars, but check the list of ingredients - recipes can change.)
Cheerios - General Mills
Chex, Wheat or Multi Grain - General Mills
Cinnamon Toast Crunch - General Mills
Cinnamon Grahams - General Mills
French Toast Crunch - General Mills
Golden Grahams - General Mills
Grape Nuts - Post
Grape Nut Flakes - Post
Large grains, all varieties - Post
Healthy Choice Roasted Brown Sugar Squares - Kelloggs
Kashi (all varieties) - Kashi Company
Life - Quaker
Mini-wheats, all varieties - Kelloggs
Muesli - Familia
Nutri-Grain, all varieties - Kelloggs
Oatmeal Crisp, all varieties - General Mills
Oatmeal Squares - Quaker
Organic Healthy Fiber Multigrain Flakes - Health Valley
Puffed Wheat - Quaker and other
Shredded wheat, all varieties and sizes - Post and others
South Beach Diet toasted wheat
Total - General Mills
Uncle Sam - U. S. Mills
Weetabix
Wheaties - General Mills
Barbara, Cascadia Farm, Mother's, Nature's Promise and other smaller brands that specialize in "healthy" cereals (but always check the ingredients list).
Recommended: All Bran or High Bran Cereals
(no trans fats, little or no added sugars.)
100% Bran - Post
All Bran, all varieties - Kelloggs
Bran flakes - Post
Chex, Multi-Bran - General Mills
Flaked wheat bran Complete - Kelloggs
Rolled oats complete Bran - Kelloggs
Cracklin 'Oat Bran - Kelloggs
Crunchy corn bran - Quaker
Fiber 7 Flakes - Health Valley
Fiber One - General Mills
Fruit & Bran - Post
Granola, Low Fat - Kelloggs
Oat Bran - Quaker
Oat Bran Flakes - Health Valley
Rolled oats with raisins - Health Valley
Organic Bran with Raisins - Health Valley
Raisin Bran - Kelloggs
Raisin Bran Flakes - Health Valley
Raisin Bran, Whole Grain Wheat - Post
Raisin Nut Bran - General Mills
Shredded Wheat 'n' Bran - Post
Total, Raisin Bran - General Mills
Weight Watchers Flakes' n 'Fiber
100% Natural Granola - Quaker
Not Recommended - Cereals that contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) *
Many are also the main high in refined grains and added sugars.
Basic Four - General Mills
Cocoa Krispies - Kelloggs
Pallets of corn - Kelloggs
Froot Loops - Kelloggs
Golden Crisp - Post
Granola with raisins, low fat - Kelloggs * (see note below)
Healthy Choice Mueslix - Kelloggs
Healthy Choice Almond Crunch with Raisins - Kelloggs
Healthy Choice Low Fat Granola with Raisins - Kelloggs
Mini Swirlz - Kelloggs
Slapping - Kelloggs
Smart Start - Kelloggs
Special K - Kelloggs
Not Recommended - Cereals Made from Refined Grains
Many of these also contain a lot of added sugar
Apple Jacks - Kelloggs
Cap'n Crunch, all varieties - Quaker
Chex, rice or corn - General Mills
Cocoa Frosted Flakes - Kelloggs
Cocoa explosions - Quaker
Cocoa Pebbles - Post
Cocoa puffs - General Mills
Crunchy cookie / Chocolate Chip - General Mills
Pallets of corn - Kelloggs
Corn Flakes - Kelloggs, and other
Count Chocula - General Mills
Crispix - Kelloggs
Frosted Flakes - Kelloggs
Fruity Pebbles - Post
Honey Bunches of Oats - Post
Honey Comb - Post
Honey Nut Clusters - General Mills
Kix - General Mills
Lucky Charms - General Mills
Product 19 - Kelloggs
Puffed Rice - Quaker
Of peanut butter Reese puffs - General Mills
Rice Krispies, all varieties - Kelloggs
Total Corn Flakes - General Mills
* Reviewing cereals 1/26/07, Kelloggs' Low Fat Granola with Raisins contained partially hydrogenated oils, while their plain Low Fat Granola had none. I hope this means that Kelloggs is following the example of other cereals and PAHO will soon be gone from all its products. Meanwhile, to protect yourself and check the ingredients list! Cereal recipes change.
Subscribe to my FREE weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and medical practice for over 40 years, is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine.
Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports - and the FREE Good Food Book - at http://www.DrMirkin.com |
posted by neptunus @ 5:53 PM
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