The big bowl of cereal has always been a source of comfort in the morning. But it is a good way to startyour fat-burning day?
Cheap Ingredients
Most breakfast cereals are made with the cheapest and dirtiest ingredients out there. Here’s the ingredients list from the (too) popular Froot Loops®.
Sugar, whole grain corn flour, wheat flour, whole grain oat flour, oat fiber, soluble corn fiber, contains 2 % or less of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (coconut, soybean and/or cottonseed), salt, red 40, natural flavor, blue 2, turmeric color, yellow 6, annatto color, blue 1, BHT for freshness.
Here’s what this means in plain English – your bowl of cereal contains sugar, corn flour (the same used to fatten cattle), trans fats and petroleum-based artificial coloring. Not the best way to start your day, if you ask me.
Tony Was Wrong!
Tony the Tiger was wrong. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® or similar sugary breakfast cereals are NOT part of a healthy breakfast. In fact, most cereals you find on the supermarket shelves contain more sugar than Twinkies.
SUGAR CONTENT OF POPULAR CEREALSBY WEIGHT
Artificial Coloring
Made with the same petroleum you put in your car, artificial coloring is starting to be a concern for a lot of consumers. While many health circles are linking them to infant conditions like ADHD, this has not been confirmed by the “official” studies. However, a recent study by the University of Michigan showed that they can cause life threatening allergic reaction for some people.
Common Artificial Coloring Names
Countries outside the US have different regulations. You can get a list of food dyes approved for use around the world here: http://artificialfoodcoloring.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Food_dyes_around_the_world
Healthy Cereal?
Is there such thing as healthy, fat-burning breakfast cereal? It depends. Here’s what you need to look for:
- Natural ingredients you can identify (fewer ingredients is better)
- High in fiber and protein
- No corn or soy, unless organic
- Gluten-free, if gluten is a problem for you
Remember to always measure your portions. You need to control your carb intake to lose weight, unless you plan on running a marathon…
Summary
- Most breakfast cereal brands are closer to a Frankenstein dessert than to a healthy breakfast. They are NOT a good way to start your day and will slow down your fat loss dramatically.
- If you want to eat cereal and lose weight, you need to portion control very carefully.
- Look for high fiber, high protein, and all-natural breakfast cereal.
