Get more from your morning: Smarter cereal choices

A bowl of cereal is a quick and easy way to fit breakfast into your morning but if your regular brand is full of sugar and refined flours, you may not be making the most of your first meal of the day. Next time you are at the supermarket, reach for a box that gives you a more nutritious bang for your buck. Fiber, which can be found in whole grains and fruits, among other sources, might lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, may play a role in weight control and can help keep you regular, but most Americans don't get enough in their diet. The recommended daily amount of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. (After age 50, your daily fiber needs drops to 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men.)

The latest issue of CSPI's (Center for Science in the Public Interest) Nutrition Action Healthletter recommends choosing a cereal with:

• The first two ingredients as whole grain, bran, fruit or soy
• No more than 250 calories per cup
• At least 3 grams of fiber for lighter cereals (a serving weighs about 1 oz., or 30 grams) or at least 6 grams of fiber for heavier cereals (a serving weighs about 2 oz., or 55 grams)
• No questionable artificial sweetener aspartame

My personal favorite from Nutrition Action's list of Best Bites?: General Mills Multi Grain Cheerios and Kashi Honey Sunshine (a great choice for someone who usually prefers a sweeter cereal).

To learn more about fiber from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, click here. 

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A bowl of cereal is a quick and easy way to fit breakfast into your morning but if your regular brand is full of sugar and refined flours, you may not be making the most of your first meal of the day. Next time you are at the supermarket, reach for a box that gives you a more nutritious bang for your buck. Fiber, which can be found in whole grains and fruits, among other sources, might lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, may play a role in weight control and can help keep you regular, but most Americans don't get enough in their diet. The recommended daily amount of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. (After age 50, your daily fiber needs drops to 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men.)

The latest issue of CSPI's (Center for Science in the Public Interest) Nutrition Action Healthletter recommends choosing a cereal with:

• The first two ingredients as whole grain, bran, fruit or soy
• No more than 250 calories per cup
• At least 3 grams of fiber for lighter cereals (a serving weighs about 1 oz., or 30 grams) or at least 6 grams of fiber for heavier cereals (a serving weighs about 2 oz., or 55 grams)
• No questionable artificial sweetener aspartame

My personal favorite from Nutrition Action's list of Best Bites?: General Mills Multi Grain Cheerios and Kashi Honey Sunshine (a great choice for someone who usually prefers a sweeter cereal).

To learn more about fiber from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, click here. 

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net