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The most healthful breakfast is whole grain cereal. If you’re attempting to lose weight, control cholesterol or diabetes, or just need a lot of energy, your best bet is a hot cooked cereal of whole grains, such as oatmeal; or barley, brown rice or wheat berries cooked and served like oatmeal. Flavor it with raisins or other dried fruits, cinnamon, and perhaps a handful of nuts such as pine nuts. If you prefer cold cereal, you need to check the list of ingredients carefully. The FIRST ingredient will have to be a whole grain. Then scan through the entire list and if you see the words “partially hydrogenated,” put the box back on the shelf. We commend that you refrain from foods with partially hydrogenated oils (or “trans fats”), and they still show up in a good deal of cereals (see the list below.) Once you’ve annihilated all the brands made with refined grains or partially hydrogenated oils, check for ADDED sugars (you want little or none) and fiber (you want a lot.) Raisins or other dried fruits will add a lot of grams of sugar to the listing on the nutrition panel; they are not distinguished from added sugars, so you may only estimate the amounts. The fiber content listed on the nutrition label may be mixing up because it’s based on serving size, and very light cereals (such as puffed wheat) show little fiber per serving, but an adequate for the purpose amount when you adjust for weight. Cereals made from bran (the outer covering got rid of from whole grains) will have higher fiber content than cereals made from whole grains (which have the germ and starchy elements of the grains as well as the fiber), but they may be hard to digest. 2007 Update:I’m delighted to note that partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) have been taken out of a great deal of cereals. The old list included 56 brands with PHO’s; the new list has only 13! Most of the popular General Mills, Post and Quaker cereal brands no longer have them. Kelloggs is the one major cereal maker that has not yet got rid of them from a lot of of their leading products; hopefully they will respond to buyer pressure soon. Is it genuinely whole grain? Manufacturers have likewise responded to the call for more whole grains in our diet, so you will find a lot more selections that meet my recommendation of “whole grains as the basi ingredient”. However, some that assert to be “whole grain” still include refined grains. You may need to do some detective work to see what you’re getting. One-ingredient whole grain cereals (i.e., shredded wheat, puffed wheat, oatmeal) are sure bets. If you see milled corn, corn meal, wheat flour or rice in (No trans fats, little or no added sugars; but check the list of ingredients — recipes may 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 Great Grains, all varieties – Post Healthy Choice Toasted 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 others Shredded Wheat, all varieties and sizes – Post and others South Beach Diet Toasted Wheats Total – General Mills Uncle Sam – U.S. Mills Weetabix Wheaties – General Mills Barbara’s, Cascadian Farm, Mother’s, Nature’s Promise and other littler brands that specialize in “healthful” cereals (but always check the list of ingredients). Recommended: All Bran or High Bran Cereals 100% Bran – Post All Bran, all varieties – Kelloggs Bran Flakes – Post Chex, Multi-Bran – General Mills Complete Wheat Bran Flakes – Kelloggs Complete Oat Bran Flakes – 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 Oat Bran Flakes 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 Fats)* Basic Four – General Mills Cocoa Krispies – Kelloggs Corn Pops – 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 Smacks – Kelloggs Smart Start – Kelloggs Special K – Kelloggs Not Recommended – Cereals Made from Refined Grains Apple Jacks – Kelloggs Cap’n Crunch, all varieties – Quaker Chex, Rice or Corn – General Mills Cocoa Frosted Flakes – Kelloggs Cocoa Blasts – Quaker Cocoa Pebbles – Post Cocoa Puffs – General Mills Cookie Crisp/Chocolate Chip – General Mills Corn Pops – Kelloggs Corn Flakes – Kelloggs and others 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 Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs – General Mills Rice Krispies, all varieties – Kelloggs Total Corn Flakes – General Mills *When I checked these cereals on 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 lead of the other cereal manufacturers and that PHO’s will soon be gone from all of their products. Meanwhile, protect yourself and check the list of ingredients! Cereal recipes change. |
