Cereal Number: Why Cereals Shouldn’t Be Your Go-To Breakfast

So nice to just have to dump something into a bowl of milk and chomp away early morning, right? Not so nice to not fit into that dress anymore, no? Make a mistake once, you’re forgiven. Make a mistake again and again, you’re a cereal culprit. Sorry for the pun

Breakfast cereals are a staple in many households. They have fibre, they are quick, easy, and convenient…what’s not to love, right? Well, wrong. Lots of wrong. Cereals are made from processed grain. They are usually eaten with milk (hot or cold), yoghurt, fruits, or nuts; although I have known people to have them with orange juice and hot black coffee as well (yuck!).

Here are all the reasons why you should say no to breakfast cereals:

They are loaded with sugar — Most, if not all, breakfast cereals are loaded with sugar and refined carbs. It stands to reason that if you’re looking to lose weight, this might not be the right choice. Even if weight loss is not at the top of your mind, with high sugar consumption, tooth decay, high blood pressure, heart problems, and a host of other problems will be knocking on your door soon enough.

Hidden salt — Cold cereals also contain a lot of salt, even the sweet ones. Most often, it is above the daily recommended allowance. This can cause high blood pressure, and can increase the risk of strokes and heart disease.

Lack of fibre in the refined grains version — Refined grain cereals have little to no fibre and nutrients. Usually, some of the nutrients will be added back, but not all of them.

Misleading health claims — Good for the heart, low-fat, whole grain — these are some of the claims cereal manufacturers make. While a cereal that claims to be whole grain will definitely have some amount of it, you can be reasonably sure that claims like these are usually trumped up. Add to this children-specific marketing, with cartoon characters, colourful packets, and brightly coloured cereals, and you have a real problem on your hands. The cereal epidemic, I like to call it.

The artificial colours and dyes aren’t great news for your health, either. If you must eat cereal, choose one with less sugar, less salt content, more fibre, and one that has 100 per cent whole grains. And keep an eye on your portion size — it’s easy to keep munching on it all day long.

healthhunt is Asia’s first fully-integrated content led marketplace for all things Health & Wellness, that brings together short, punchy & actionable content, with verified and linked products and services. Join the wellness revolution today.