Cereal is still a breakfast staple for many Americans. The quick and easy meal was among America’s top 10 breakfast foods in 2019, according to a survey conducted by OnePoll in collaboration with Dave’s Killer Bread.
Nutritionists highly recommend starting your morning with foods that will keep you energized throughout the day like protein shakes and whole grain oats, experts told CNBC Make It last January. And cereal doesn’t fit that category.
“I never recommend cereal to my patients to have for breakfast, simply because it’s processed. I don’t recommend anything that’s processed,” said Dr. Nancy Rahnama, an internist and clinical nutritionist.
But cereal is a convenient choice if you’re short on time, Rahnama acknowledged. If you have only enough time to grab a bowl of cereal, reach for ones that are high in fiber and low in sugar, she advised.
Here is a list of cereals that are high in nutrients like fiber and protein and low in added sugar, according to a recent report by Healthnews.com.
Cereals with the most nutrients, lowest added sugar
Healthnews.com worked with nutrition scientist Lauryna Nelkine to compare the ingredients of the 15 most popular cereals in America, “taking into account their sales volumes and ratings on major American retailing platforms,” the report states.
These are the cereals that had the most nutrients, vitamins and minerals to support health, and the lowest amounts of added sugar.
- Highest in dietary fiber: Post Raisin Bran — 9 grams of fiber per serving
- Highest in protein: Special K Protein — 7 grams of protein per serving
- Highest in calcium and vitamin D: Multi Grain Cheerios — 200 milligrams of calcium and 4 micrograms of vitamin D
- Lowest in added sugar: Corn Flakes, Corn Chex and Special K Protein — 4 grams of sugar per serving each
Cereals with high levels of added sugar
Here are the cereals that stood out as having the highest amounts of added sugar (with 12 grams of added sugar per serving each):
- Lucky Charms
- Frosted Flakes
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- Froot Loops
- Reese’s Puffs
- Fruity Pebbles
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