Get Serious About Breakfast Cereal

Breakfast cereals are a fast, convenient way to start your day, but not all cereals are created equal. It’s important to read the nutrition panel so you can evaluate if your choice is delivering the nutrition you need.

• Identify the serving size. Most cereals are analyzed according to a 30-gram serving size. However, cereals that are higher in fibre content are typically denser, and often list the serving size as 55 g. Measure how much cereal you put in your bowl. If you usually eat twice as much as a serving size, you will need to double all the numbers in the nutritional analysis.
• Check the sugar content. A cereal should contain less than 8 g of sugar per serving from added sweeteners. Note that sugar from fruit (i.e., raisins) can add several more grams of sugar per serving without making the cereal unhealthy.
• Look for fibre. The higher the fibre content in your choice of breakfast cereal, the better it is for your health. Fibre helps prevent constipation, diverticulitis, obesity, and even diabetes and some forms of cancer. A healthy diet should include a daily intake of 25 g (or more) of fibre. Try to select a cereal that contributes four or more grams of fibre per serving.
• Watch the fat. Avoid cereals that have more than 2 g of saturated fat.
• Go for whole grain. Look for a cereal where a whole grain (e.g., oats) is listed as the first ingredient. Ideally the cereal will have very little or no refined grains (e.g., “milled” rice or “enriched” flour).