Due to busy schedules, most people have started skipping their breakfasts. However, leaving the house without eating anything is not a healthy practice. In such a situation, breakfast cereals come to the rescue. They help you prepare an instant meal that keeps you energetic till lunchtime.
But remember that every breakfast cereal is not healthy. Most are loaded with sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives that make you compromise your fitness. With the help of healthy breakfast cereal, you can ensure that the first meal of the day is nutritious. But you need to keep a few things in mind.
For your help, we have mentioned some key tips that will help you choose a healthy breakfast cereal. So, without any further delay, let’s check them out:
Tips To Select A Healthy Breakfast Cereal
Buy Cereals With High Fibre
A high-fibre diet is essential to maintain optimal digestive health. For this reason, you should invest in cereals with rich fiber content. Most breakfast cereals have enough fibre to fulfill the daily requirement of the human body. However, choosing a whole grain cereal can help you achieve additional health benefits like maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
Moreover, you feel full for a long time with a fibre-rich breakfast. Furthermore, these have complex carbohydrates, which keep the blood sugar level under control. So, look for cereals that have wheat and oats, as they have high amounts of fiber to ensure a wholesome breakfast meal.
Choose Protein Rich Cereals
Just like fiber, having enough protein in the breakfast diet is important for your health. You should look to buy cereals that have seeds, legumes, nuts, and similar items that boost protein levels. Unlike fibres, cereals don’t have protein in sufficient amounts. For this reason, there is a need to compensate for it by adding the mentioned items. Besides, if you choose a protein-rich cereal, you will not feel hungry until lunchtime.
Cut Down Your Sugar Intake
Most breakfast cereal manufacturers are serving you plain sugar in your bowls. So, you need to be mindful of your sugar intake to stay healthy. Sugar-loaded breakfast can give you a temporary rush but eventually results in an energy crash. In a low amount, sugar is justified in your breakfast cereal, but not more than a certain limit.
Various manufacturers offer healthy breakfast cereal in Singapore that is completely free from added sugar. However, if you have a sweet tooth, you can add honey or any other natural sweetener in small amounts. Moreover, to further enhance the nutritional value of your meals, you can add raisins and seasonal fruits (avoid the citrus ones). This way, you get the sweet taste with zero health compromises.
Keep A Check on Harmful Ingredients
Breakfast cereals come under the category of packaged foods. So, most of them have added preservatives to increase their life. Consequently, breakfast cereals don’t go bad for a long time. However, the added chemical substances are harmful to your health.
For this reason, you must flip a cereal box before buying it and read the ingredients. For instance, Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) is a chemical preservative that prevents fat breakdown and thereby keeps the respective food item fresh. But, some studies show that it causes cancer. So, to avoid paying such a high price for just eating a cereal, search the harmful additives online, and avoid the breakfast cereals that have them.
Additional Tips to Make Your Breakfast Healthy
- Keep in mind the portion serving size. It is vital to pour as listed or advised by the nutritionist. Eating cereal does not mean you can eat as much as you want. This way, you will be consuming an increased amount of calories. So, keep the bowl size small and cereal pouring as advised as your calorie intake will increase if bowl size is big, which ultimately leads to weight gain. Experts suggest having three big tablespoons of cereal as a maximum, given that you will be adding milk, nuts, fruits, and other items.
- Include additional nutrients and fibres to your breakfast cereals by adding freshly sliced berries or other preferred fruits. These will help you avoid artificial sugar or colors, making breakfast more colorful.
- In case you want to cut fat and calories in your breakfast, low-fat milk is ideal. You can even try soy milk. However, look for the ingredients when choosing some of the milk options that may not have protein.
Conclusion
Breakfast needs not to comprise high-calorie or fatty foods. These are only rich in fats and lack essential vitamins and nutrients that the body requires. You must choose cereals that are healthy and nutritious. Plus, those allow you to enjoy breakfast meeting your good health and nutrition needs. Besides, you must consider all these things shared above when choosing breakfast cereals. It will help you benefit from your healthy breakfast.