If you've ever taken a look at the food pyramid, you've probably noticed how many servings of grains are recommended. Who can eat six to eleven servings of bread each day? It's a good thing that cereal provides a good alternative for some of those servings. Or does it?

Breakfast cereal has a long history of being promoted as the quickest way to get a nutrition-filled breakfast. Yet many cereals are surprisingly low in fiber, and perhaps not so surprisingly, high in sugar. Still, if you are looking for an easy way to get in some fiber, dairy, vitamins and minerals in the morning stock your cabinets full of them.

There are lots of cereals on the shelves that are not that good for you. But that doesn't mean that they're all bad. Many breakfast cereals provide excellent nutrition. It just takes some effort to find the ones that do.

What to Look for in Cereal

Food labeling requirements have made it much easier than it once was to choose foods that are good for you. Reading these labels when shopping for cereal is one of the best ways to determine its nutritional value. Amounts of nutrients are required to be spelled out, so there's no guesswork. Unfortunately, many people do not take the time to read them.

If you compare cereal labels, you might be shocked at just how little fiber some brands contain. This is often because they do not contain whole grains. Whole grain cereal is an outstanding source of fiber, and it naturally contains a number of nutrients. It's also nice and filling, so you don't end up famished two hours before lunch.

Sugar is another important factor in choosing a breakfast cereal. Many of them are chock full of it. Even some that are touted as healthy have a great deal of added sugar. But sugar amounts can also be a bit misleading. In cereals that contain dried fruits the amount of sugar may be rather high, but this natural sugar isn't bad for you. If you're not sure whether the sugar comes from the fruit or there's a significant amount added, read the ingredients. The higher sugar is on the list, the more has been added.

In addition to being high in fiber and low in sugar and preservatives, the best cereals contain lots of vitamins and minerals. Most are fortified to provide extra nutrition. Some of the nutrients you can expect to find high levels of include folic acid, iron, vitamin D, B vitamins, phosphorous, magnesium and zinc. Many less healthy cereals are fortified with these ingredients too, so be sure to read the entire label.

Breakfast cereals range from glorified junk food to excellent sources of nutrition. When browsing the cereal aisle, it's important to take the time to be aware of what we're buying. Otherwise you might think you're making a good decision when you're really eating the equivalent of a handful of cookies for breakfast.

Kristy Lee Wilson
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Tags: Breakfast cereals