What breakfast cereals should I Eat?

The choice of Breakfast cereals these days is mind boggling.  They are great if you don't have time to make anything - just chuck them in a bowl and add milk.  Simples.  However, there has been talk that not all breakfast cereals are equal and that some are packing serious amounts of sugar, fat or salt that are not not good for your health and could lead to unwanted weight gain.  So to get the best start to your day, here are some tips on the sort of breakfast cereals you need to look out for.

What's a healthy breakfast cereal?

For a healthier option, choose breakfast cereals that contain wholegrains and are lower in sugar, fat and salt.
Examples include:

• wholewheat cereal biscuits
• shredded wholegrain pillows
• porridge oats

Wholegrains contain fibre and B vitamins, among other nutrients. Fibre helps keep our digestive systems healthy.
Research suggests a diet high in fibre may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Reading nutrition labels

Food labels can help you choose between brands and avoid breakfast cereals high in sugar, fat and salt.
All nutrition information is provided per 100g and per serving, which can be helpful when comparing one cereal with another.

Sugar, fat and salt levels

You can use the per 100g information on the nutrition label to identify breakfast cereals that are:
High in sugar, fat or salt

• high in sugar: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g
• high in fat: more than 17.5g of fat per 100g
• high in salt: more than 1.5g of salt per 100g

Low in sugar, fat or salt

• low in sugar: 5g of total sugars or less per 100g
• low in fat: 3g of saturated fat or less per 100g
• low in salt: 0.3g of salt or less per 100g

Serving cereal with milk or yoghurt

Having breakfast cereal is a good opportunity to add calcium to the diet if you serve it with milk or yoghurt. Go for semi-skimmed, 1% or skimmed milk, or lower-fat yoghurt.

Adding fruit to cereal

Having cereal is also a good opportunity to get some fruit in the diet. Raisins, dried apricots, bananas and strawberries are popular choices and can be added to any cereal, depending on your tastes.

How many calories should breakfast provide?

A helpful rule of thumb to maintain a healthy weight is to follow the 400-600-600 approach.
That means having about:

• 400kcal for breakfast (including any drinks and accompaniments)
• 600kcal for lunch (including any drinks and accompaniments)
• 600kcal for dinner (including any drinks and accompaniments)

That leaves you with just enough left over to enjoy a few healthy drinks and snacks throughout the day. This advice is based on a woman's daily recommended calorie intake of 2,000kcal.

'My child is hooked on sugary cereals'

You could then gradually increase the amount of lower-sugar cereal over time to get kids used to them. Or you could let your child pick from a selection of, say, three healthier cereals.

'I don't have time to sit down for breakfast'

It's a sign of the times that people are increasingly abandoning breakfast cereals, one of the earliest convenience foods, for more convenient "on-the-go" options, such as a breakfast muffin and a latte.
If you're short on time in the morning, how about setting the table the night before? You could also grab a pot of porridge on your way to work or have your cereal when you get in.
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