Nutrition is important for you to make sure that you get all the nutrients that you need. Cereal is perhaps one of the most popular modes of nutrition there is. It is convenient, quick to prepare and if a person chooses the right kind, it is a healthy start to the day. There are various types of breakfast cereals that can prove to be healthy options for your family when it comes to your daily breakfast needs.
There are many types of cereal in the world. Some cereals are sweet and sugary, and others are healthy and bland. Because of this wide variety, it is sometimes difficult to choose the correct one for you. Broadly, cereals can be classified into two types: hot cereals and cold cereals.
- Hot Cereals: Hot cereals are packed with nutrition and can be a terrific source of whole grains and fiber with little or no fat, salt, or sugar. Nearly any grain can be cooked into hot cereal. Look for grits, meal, bran, germ, groats, flakes, and other forms. Preparing hot cereals take just 5 minutes with very little preparation. Just heat up some milk or wate, and when it is hot put in the cereal while stirring. Once the mixture has the right consistency, just let it stand for a minute or two and you have your healthy bowl of breakfast ready. Hot cereals can be purchased in ready-to-cook form in packages, and they come in wholesome, unsweetened versions as well as in sugary, processed versions. Of course, the unsweetened, whole-grain version is a much healthier option to which you can add healthier natural sweeteners such as honey and fruit.
- Cold Cereals: Ready-to-eat cereal products are called cold cereals. They make a quick, nutritious, low-cost, and portable breakfast. Cold cereals come in flakes, puffs, biscuits, and many other forms. They vary widely in nutritional value, from sugar-coated, brightly colored puffs to 100-percent wheat bran. When combined with low-fat milk, cold cereal makes a meal that is high in protein and low in cholesterol and fat. Also, most cereals are fortified with at least 25 percent of the daily recommended intake of essential vitamins and minerals. For example, most grains are low in vitamin D, so enriched cereals have added vitamin D to meet the body's requirement. Most experts agree that the best cold cereal contains one or more whole grains, plenty of fiber (at least 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories or 3 to 5 grams of fiber per serving), no added sugar, and no added salt.
Both hot and cold cereals can be further categorized based on the ingredients as:
- Whole grain cereals: Breakfast cereals that contain at least 25 percent oat or bran content are classified as whole grain cereals. Whole grain cereals are rich in complex carbohydrates and supply proteins, phytochemicals and dietary fiber. They contain little or no added sugars. Most cereals are made from one grain or a combination of several grains, including wheat, corn, rice, oats, and barley. Researchers have found that cereal ingredients such as oats and psyllium can help reduce cholesterol and aid in heart health.
- Bran cereals: Cereals made from bran (the outer covering removed from whole grains) have higher fiber content but they can be hard to digest. Bran cereals are made with oats, wheat or rice and have heart-protecting antioxidants. The high fiber helps keep you feeling full and cuts the risk of constipation, diverticulosis, heart disease, and possibly cancer. Scientific research indicates that a diet including wheat bran may help reduce the risk of colon cancer.
- Sugary cereals: Sugary cereals are the least nutritious cereal choices but highly popular with consumers, especially children. They are mostly refined and stripped out of all the nutrition, and have loads of added sugar and preservatives. Stay away from them as much as possible.
- Organic cereals: Organic breakfast cereals (as the name suggests) are made from ingredients that are free of pesticides and fertilizers. Instead of fortifying cereal with synthetic vitamins and minerals, organic cereals have ingredients inherently rich in nutrients. When choosing an organic breakfast cereal, if you are unsure, it is best to check the label.
You can find a broad range of flavors of breakfast cereals in your local supermarket which even the fussiest of eaters will enjoy. Breakfast cereals make the most ideal breakfast only if you know what you are looking for.
