Written By: Tania Tarafdar | Updated : August 19, 2015 9:16 AM IST
Everyone knows that cereals are one of the healthiest breakfast options. After all, you are avoiding oily options like parathas. But with more than 50 breakfast cereals out there, looking for the right one among the fruity flakes and chocolate coated ones could be like looking for a needle in a stack of hay. To help you make a healthy choice, dietician, Neha Chandna shares a few guidelines.
Go for the fibre-rich options
Not all cereals are high in fibre. The ones with whole grains contain the most fibre. When you look for cereal, make sure that whole grain is listed as one of the first ingredients on the nutrition label. Do not pick the ones that contain rice and flour. Your cereal should contain at least 4 g of fibre. You can also start your day by eating any of these 3 healthy Indian dishes.
Limit sodium intake
A fibre-rich bowl of cereal with low-fat milk and some fruits could be a healthy way to start the day. However, if you do not pick the right one, you could start your day with a high sodium meal. Do not overlook the sodium content on the nutrition label as many cereals contain 170 to 250 mg sodium per serving. Look for wheat varieties and plain oatmeal.
Pick the low- sugar ones
Some cereals contain so much sugar that they seem like boxes of cookies. Sugar should be ideally listed at the end of the nutrition label. Rather than looking for the total sugar, look for the added sugar it contains. Fruit juice concentrate and aspartame are some of the common ingredients found in breakfast cereals and are better avoided.
Watch out for fake fibre
Fibre can keep you in good health but not all fibres are equal. Fibre that comes from bran and whole grains has plenty of health benefits. But some cereals contain isolated fibre that are removed from grains and made into powder. Fibre from corn and soy has no proven health benefits.
Avoid flavoured flakes
The strawberry in your favourite strawberry flavoured cereal can most likely be a mixture of food dyes. Instead, go for unsweetened varieties. If you enjoy flavoured cereals, use sliced fruits, fresh berries and raisins.
Look for calories
Most people assume that cereal is a low-calorie healthy food, but some cereals have a high fat content that make them high in calories. The ones with dried fruits and nuts may contain slightly more calories. Your bowl of cereal should not contain more than 250 calories per bowl.
So now you know how to pick up just the right cereal next time you go grocery shopping!
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