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Tips for Picking a Healthy Cereal

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

The cereal aisle at any grocery store is usually pretty intimidating. There are literally hundreds of choices and many of them have health claims right on the front of the box, but do you know how to pick a healthy cereal? Fitness magazine consulted Jackie Newgent, R.D., a culinary nutritionist in New York, to find out what to look for when picking out the right cereal. Here are highlights:

Three or more grams of total fiber per serving.
One or more grams of soluble fiber, which may help lower cholesterol and keeps blood sugar stable. (Whole-oat cereals are especially good sources.)
Fewer than two grams of saturated fat and no trans fats, both of which contribute to heart disease risk.
Fewer than 10 grams of sugar, unless it has dried fruit, which contain natural sugars.

Does your favorite cereal meet these requirements?

Source

Bark for Breakfast: Some Healthy Cereals Have NO Taste

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:30:00 -0800

Some people love to start their day with a hearty bowl of cereal. The milk, soy milk, or rice milk adds extra vitamins and protein. Cereals nowadays are made with heart-healthy whole grains, complete with the fiber and carbs you need.

However, healthy cereals are not all equal. Arrowhead Mills makes many healthy breakfast options, and they're great if you prefer a plain cereal with not much taste. Nature O's may look fun and are made with organic oats, rice, and wheat germ, but believe me when I say that they taste like bark.

What is good about Nature O's is that they are made with no added sugar, so if you're watching that, this cereal might be a great option for you. The only thing is, if you don't like the taste, you won't eat it.

Healthy Eating Tip: Choose Cereals With Fiber

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I think the easiest breakfast option in the world is a bowl of cereal. But just because it is an easy option, doesn't mean it has to be unhealthy. I like starting my day off with a cereal that is high in fiber; it helps keep me full and helps me reach the recommended 30 gram mark for daily intake of fiber. When shopping for cereal, go for ones made with whole grains that contain at least three grams of fiber per serving. Here are some great options:

Kashi Go Lean (10 g)
Kashi Go Lean Crunch (8 g)
Nature's Path Optimum Power (10 g)
Barbara's Shredded Oats (4 g)
Barbara's Puffins (6.7 g)
Barbara's Ultima (16 g)
Fiber One (28.8 g)
Bear Naked Peanut Butter Granola (3 g)
Bear Naked Apple Cinnamon Granola (3 g)
Bear Naked Fit Triple Berry Crunch Granola (3 g)
Kashi Mountain Medley Granola (3 g)
Kashi Orchard Spice Granola (3 g)

Fit Tip: Increase the fiber content of your cereal by adding nuts and fresh, frozen, or dried fruit.

Source

Food Review: Dorset Cereals

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0700

I was tired of my usual cereals for breakfast, so I perused the shelves for a new one and found Super Cranberry, Cherry & Almond Dorset Cereals (about $5).

The creative packaging definitely caught my eye. I loved that you could see the dried cherries and cranberries floating around with flakes of cereal and seeds. I knew it looked good, but how did it taste? To find out read more.

With all those natural ingredients - 50 percent being fruit and seeds - this cereal was delicious. It reminded me of my homemade muesli recipe, but was even better because it was already made! It's great on its own, in yogurt, in milk, and was especially delicious with almond milk. I love the combination of the sweet chewy dried fruit and the crispy crunchy flakes. This is seriously my new favorite cereal because it's so wholesome and satisfying. It's also high in fiber and protein, and low in sodium and cholesterol. It seems high in fat, but it's mostly healthy fat from the almonds and sunflower seeds. I am definitely going to buy this cereal again, and am excited to try the other flavors including Berries and Cherries and Organic Fruit, Nuts & Seeds.

Serving Size	1/2 cup
Calories	200
Total Fat	4.5 g
Saturated Fat	.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	90 mg
Carbs	39 g
Fiber	4 g
Sugar	17 g
Protein	5 g

Healthy Recipe: Make Your Own Muesli

FitSugar — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Muesli is a traditional breakfast cereal made from rolled oats, fruit, and nuts. Since it's full of such wholesome ingredients, it's really healthy. You can buy it prepackaged, but I prefer to make my own so I can add in extra tasty ingredients that not only add more vitamins and fiber, but enhance the flavor as well.

To see how I make mine, read more.

All you need is a big bowl and ingredients such as these:

Rolled oats
Corn flakes
Spelt flakes
Bran flakes
Puffed rice
Dried cranberries
Dried blueberries
Dried apples
Raisins
Almond slivers
Sunflower seeds
Flax seeds
Walnuts
Cashews
Cinnamon

Mix a cup each of three different grains, one cup of dried fruit, a half cup of nuts/seeds, and two tablespoons cinnamon. It makes about four 3/4-cup servings. Enjoy with milk or vanilla soymilk. It's a delicious, hearty breakfast that will keep you full until lunch.

Don't Let Traveling Get You in a Bind

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:30:31 -0800

The stress of traveling and being away from home can really mess with your bathroom schedule. Changing times zones, eating foods you're not used to, and skipping out on exercise doesn't help either. To prevent tummy issues, here are some tips on how to stay regular when traveling.

Drink water whenever you can as your choice of beverage. Not only will it keep you hydrated, but it'll also keep things moving.
When traveling, bring your own snacks that are high in fiber. Nibble on carrot sticks, apples (with the peel), trail mix with dried fruit and nuts, granola bars, and high fiber cereal. Having healthy snacks on hand will prevent you from eating processed foods that can tie the digestive system in knots.

For more helpful tips keep reading.

Cereal Wars: Mainstream Vs. Healthy Version

FitSugar — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 03:30:00 -0800

I grew up on mainstream cereals like Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms. I'm amazed I learned anything in school on a breakfast like that. As a label reader, I know they're made with tons of sugar, corn syrup, and enriched flour, so now I only buy healthy cereals made with whole grains.

Kashi and Barbara's are wonderful brands, and they make healthier versions of popular mainstream cereals. I wanted to see how they compared nutritionally. If you're curious too then read more.

3/4 cup of cereal	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Cap'n Crunch	109	1.6	202	22.9	.7	11.8	1.2
Kashi Honey Sunshine	100	1.5	135	25	6	6	2

3/4 cup of cereal	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Apple Cinnamon Cheerios	120	1.5	120	25	1	13	2
Barbara's Organic Apple Cinnamon O's	120	1.5	85	24	2	11	3

3/4 cup of cereal	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Cocoa Puffs	120	1.5	150	23	1	12	1
Barbara's Organic Wild Puffs - Crunchy Cocoa	120	1	80	25	3	7	2

3/4 cup of cereal	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Reese's Puffs	120	3	180	22	1	12	2
EnviroKidz Leapin' Lemurs	120	1.5	115	25	2	8	2

1 cup of cereal	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Alpha-Bits	110	1	160	23	2	10	2
Kashi Mighty Bites	110	1.5	160	23	3	5	5

3/4 cup of cereal	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch	110	2.5	200	21	1	9	2
Peanut Butter Panda Puffs	130	2.5	140	24	2	7	3

As you can see, the healthier versions really are better for you, containing less sodium and sugars, and more fiber and protein. Now I know they're worth the extra dough.

Smarter Eats: Gwyneth Reminds Us to Get a Healthy Dose of D

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:31 -0800

Gwyneth Paltrow's dishing out some healthy advice on GOOP this week - get your daily dose of vitamin D. The super-fit star points to Dr. Frank Lipman's healthy tips for getting our fair share of the vital D, who reminds us that, especially this time of year -when we head into the colder season and see less sunlight - it's even more important to supplement our diets with the vitamin, and avoid a vitamin D deficiency.

If you're wondering why it's so important, just remember that vitamin D was first recognized for its importance in maintaining healthy calcium levels for our bones. According to Dr. Lipman, it's now becoming increasingly apparent that we've underestimated the value of the vitamin, and a lack of it has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and breast cancer - to name a few.

Since we rely on the sun to generate the most reliable way of getting vitamin D, it's a good idea to up your intake of foods that can naturally deliver the goods - try fortified milk in your cereal, dried shitake mushrooms with your stir fry or salad, and wild fatty fish, like salmon and halibut. Just be aware that only 10 percent of your vitamin D intake can come from food, so to really eat smarter and healthier, it might just be a good idea to supplement with the active form of the vitamin, D3. Be sure to read all of Dr. Lipman's great tips, and until we see some sunlight this Spring, make sure you're getting your daily dose with fortified foods.

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:30:11 -0800

Savory and healthy: spaghetti with walnuts, fennel, and peas - Shape
Marathoner Paula Radcliffe believes she gets better with age - That's Fit
The Denim Diet must be inspired by the skinny jean fad - FitCeleb
An injection to the roof of the mouth could ease snoring - Vitamin G
Sculpt your way to sexy and sleek curves - Self
Start your morning with one of these high fiber and flavorful cereals - Daily Spark
The low down on Prana Power Yoga - Social Workout
Tips on fueling up for you next long run - Health

Lil Links: How to Pick the Best Cereals

babysugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:32 -0700

Best cereals for kids - Cookie
Matthew Settle takes a stroll with his Gossip Girl - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Lil Wayne becomes a father while he awaits the birth of another - Celebrity Baby Blog
The nipple changing magic - CafeMom
School to make a bloody mess with a sheep - ParentDish
6 funniest television moments about birth control - Momversation
Catching a cold and other outdated parenting myths - The Poop
Prenatal yoga pays off - Fit Pregnancy
Play date burn out - MOMformation