The Best Start Every Day
Whatever your choice for breakfast for your diabetes, it’s important to maintain a regular meal pattern and try to make time to eat breakfast each morning.
This will give you a great head start on your day, providing you with the fuel needed to set about your daily tasks.
If you don’t feel hungry first thing, try keeping a box of healthy cereal or porridge at work. Some people find this can be a better alternative to mid-morning snacking on chocolate biscuits once you start to feel peckish.
Mother’s Peanut Butter Bumpers Cereal
– Per 100 grams: 407 cal, 29.29 grams of sugar- Sugar / calorie: 0.072 grams / cal- Brand: Quaker
Mother’s is a brand of Quaker that is always 100% natural, with no additives, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, hydrogenated oils, or starches, plus honey and molasses are the only sweeteners used in its products. The crunchy corn cereal is also made with natural peanut butter that contains no added sugar. However, with the second ingredient in the cereal being molasses, a serving of Peanut Butter Bumpers has 16 grams of sugar.
– Per 100 grams: 387 cal, 29.97 grams of sugar- Sugar / calorie: 0.077 grams / cal- Brand: Malt-O-Meal
Though Honey Nut Scooters may be an imitation of Honey Nut Cheerios, Malt-O-Meal’s variety contains about 10% more sugarwhich might not come as a surprise given that three of its ingredients are sugar, honey, and brown sugar syrup. However, the cereal boasts a high dose of iron: just one serving will get you to 50% of your daily recommended intake.
Cinnamon Homemade Keto Low Carb Cereal
Its time to separate the right cereal eaters from the wrong cereal eaters with this one question:
Do you eat cereal with milk OR without it, straight from the BOX?
My answer is 100% STRAIGHT FROM THE BOX. Do not like the soggy breakfast experience that happens when milk snuggles on up to the crispy squares.
HOWEVER, this sugar free cereal? I can actually eat it WITH MILK because, just like the homemade cereal recipe, it stays SO FREAKING CRUNCHY.
When I went back to check, my bowl of low carb breakfast cereal was just hanging out, being its spicy-sweet squares of CRUNCHY self.
Internet friends. This might be a bold statement, but I think we have just discovered the BEST low carb cereal.
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How Many Calories Should Breakfast Provide
A helpful rule to maintain a healthy weight is to follow the 400-600-600 approach.
That means having about:
- 400kcal for breakfast
- 600kcal for lunch
- 600kcal for dinner
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.
You might get about 150kcal from a 40g serving of cereal. You could add a medium sliced banana and 200ml of semi-skimmed milk, which altogether would provide about 350kcals.
Frosted Flakes With Energy Clusters
Nutrition : 190 calories, 1 g fat , 190 mg sodium, 41 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 17 g sugars, 5 g protein.
Percentage of calories from sugar: 36%
And despite an increase in protein, you aren’t doing your child any favors by opting for the “energy clusters” version. It has more calories and 17 grams of sugar. The worst part: These sugar-coated flakes are advertised for athletes, when the fuel they would provide wouldn’t last past the first quarter.
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Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream
Nutrition : 147 calories, 4 g fat , 167 mg sodium, 28 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 12 g sugars, 1 g protein.
Percentage of calories from sugar: 33%
The only positive note about this cereal is that it’s made with 100% whole grains. Thirty-three percent of its calories come from sugar, and the remaining two-thirds are carbohydrates. There’s just one gram of both fiber and protein, two crucial ingredients that encourage satiety. Opting for Hershey’s for breakfast will have your hunger hormones running wild.
What To Look For
Cereal is serious business. Cereal business? Anyway, before we get started, lets define some terms.
The tricky thing about added sugar is that it has more than 100 different names you might find on ingredient labels .
So, the best way to check for added sugar is to look at the nutrition label. Youll want to choose a cereal that contains 0 grams of added sugar.
Helpful hint: To minimize total sugar when you eat cereal, use an unsweetened plant-based milk instead of cows milk, which contains natural sugar.
Use this legend to identify the price range per ounce of these cereals.
- $ = under $0.76 per ounce
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Kellogg’s Frosted Wheats = 17% Sugar
These mini parcels of shredded wheat have a sugar frosting and contain beef gelatine too, so arent suitable for vegetarians. A typical 40g/1.4oz portion has 6.8g/0.2oz of sugar, and isnt fortified with vitamins. But it is a decent source of fibre, with 3.6g/0.1oz per bowl about an eighth of the recommended daily intake.
Kellogg’s Just Right Original = 23% Sugar
With around 2tsp sugar per 40g/1.4oz serving, it’s hard to see how this cereal rates four out of five on Australias Health Star rating scheme. One reason is that not all the sugar is added some comes naturally from dried fruit, which also provides fibre and nutrients. This is also a whole grain cereal, has no added salt and is vitamin and mineral-fortified. So keep the portion under control and its an OK start to the day.
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Quaker 100% Natural Granola With Oats Wheat Honey And Raisins
– Per 100 grams: 412 cal, 24.63 grams of sugar- Sugar / calorie: 0.060 grams / cal- Brand: Quaker
While granola like this Quaker offering can conjure up images of a healthy, wholesome lifestyle, its diet-friendly reputation is often undeserved. A half cup of store-bought granola on average contains 12 grams of sugar, with almost all of that being added sugar instead of the kind that can naturally be found in fruit.
Brands Of Cereal That Contain The Most Sugar
If you are what you eat, and youre eating any of the following extra-sugary cereals, you might be even sweeter than you think…but thats not necessarily a good thing.
With colourful boxes and fun, smiling mascots encouraging you to give their breakfast goods a try, these cereals can be quite tempting. However, if youre looking to cut sugar out of your dietor even just cut back on ityour best bet is to steer well clear of sugary cereals.
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Honey Bunches Of Oats With Vanilla Bunches
– Per 100 grams: 394 cal, 20.7 grams of sugar- Sugar / calorie: 0.053 grams / cal- Brand: Post
Post’s Honey Bunches of Oats with Vanilla Bunches boasts 35 grams of whole grains and is made without high fructose corn syrup. However, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the cereal’s nutrition label, which like its other varieties includes a range of sweeteners like brown sugar, corn syrup, and honey .
– Per 100 grams: 389 cal, 21.00 grams of sugar- Sugar / calorie: 0.054 grams / cal- Brand: Post
Alpha-Bits was just one of the cereal products that Post revamped in the early 2000s, rolling out a new version of the popular letter-shaped cereal that was 75% whole grains and contained zero sugar. But the public reaction to the new and improved Alpha-Bits wasn’t as positive as Post had hoped. With no sugar coating, the cereal pieces easily broke apart, and with more oat flour than before, the letters became chunky and misshapen. Eventually, the original recipe was reintroduced.
Heres What Our Nutritionists Look For In A Healthy Cereal
I like to recommend shopping for whole grain options, Amy Gorin, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in New York, told HuffPost. You can take a look at the ingredients list of the cereal to check that the first ingredient is a whole grain. That ingredient might be whole wheat, oats, cornmeal or another whole grain.
Gorin added that ample fiber , some protein and a conservative amount of sugar is also ideal. Protein and fiber help keep you fuller for longer, and we should try and limit our intake of added sugar, she said.
Jonathan Valdez, owner of Genki Nutrition and media rep for the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, recommended checking out the total carbohydrates as well, ideally 45-60 grams per meal, to make sure you have enough energy to power through the morning.
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Best Healthy Breakfast Cereal
There are many great keto cereal out there so it was very hard to narrow down this keto cereal list to pick our favorite low carb keto cereal. However, we found that these five keto cereal are some of the best keto cereal on the market. If you are a cereal lover, then we would highly suggest checking out some of these keto breakfast cereal.
They are low in net carbs , they use natural sweeteners such as monk fruit, low in saturated fat, and have healthy ingredients like cinnamon, flax seeds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Or actually, these keto cereal options are not just for breakfast, in fact you can have these keto friendly cereal whenever you feel like it. Come on, lets make breakfast healthy and fun again.
Lets get started!
Why Does The Body Need Carbs
Carbohydrates are one of three main nutrients the body needs to function. The other two are fat and protein. Carbohydrates break down into glucose and are important because they provide the body with the energy it needs to work properly. Every cell in the body can use glucose for fuel.
There are three main types of carbohydrates found in foods:
- starches, which are complex carbohydrates
- sugars, which are simple carbohydrates
- fiber
Complex carbohydrates are broken down more slowly than simple carbs, so they provide the body with a steadier and more long-lasting supply of energy. Theyre found in:
- whole grains
- beans
- starchy vegetables, like corn and potatoes
These carbohydrates also provide fuel for the healthy bacteria in the colon. They play a role in:
- your overall immune function
- risk for chronic disease
- digestive health
The body absorbs simple carbohydrates quickly, so they provide a fast, short-term energy boost. You can find simple carbohydrates in:
- milk
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Uncle Sams Original Wheat Berry Flakes
While this cereal contains a touch of barley malt, a three-quarters cup portion provides less than 1 gram of sugar, along with 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 38 grams of carb with an impressive 10 grams as fiber. The only ingredients are: whole wheat kernels, whole flaxseed, salt, and barley malt.
To add a little flavor to your bowl, mix a quarter teaspoon of pure vanilla extract into your milk, and stir in finely chopped ripe banana so you get a little bit of natural sweetness with each spoonful.
Best Cereals For Weight Loss
According to a September 2014 review published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, breakfast cereal consumption is associated with a slew of health benefits. For one, cereal consumers are more likely to meet their recommended nutrient needs.
Breakfast cereal consumption is also associated with lower risk of having overweight or obesity, according to the same review. As such, this list of the lowest calorie cereals per cup might help you reach both your nutrition and weight-loss goals.
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The Top 10 Healthiest Breakfast Cereals
By Holly Klamer, RDResearched Based Article
Breakfast cereals can be some of the most misleading food products when trying to determine the healthiest choice. Whilst many cereals are marketed as healthy options, or boast claims such as low fat, high in B vitamins or high in iron, these claims often mask the real nutritional value of the product.
A cereal that is advertised as low fat, for example, may be high in sugar and therefore calories, so not really a healthy option. Breakfast cereals can be an important part of a healthy diet, and many studies have shown that those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight than those who do not. For this reason, it is important to know how to identify the healthiest options when choosing your breakfast cereal.
Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Oatmeal & Hot Cereal
Price: $$
In addition to organic gluten-free oats, Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Oatmeal & Hot Cereal contains a handful of organic, nutrient-rich ingredients, including quinoa flakes and puffed amaranth, as well as flax, hemp, and chia seeds .
These seeds are often deemed super seeds because theyre rich in fiber, plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, and several essential vitamins and minerals (
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The Best Breakfast Cereals For Weight Loss
If the crunch of cereal is what you crave in the morning, reach for one of these high-fiber, high-nutrition choices for optimal health.
When faced with a hectic morning, the easiest path to breakfast often includes a cereal box. Open. Pour. Add milk. Eat. But, when it comes to nutrition, the choices in the cereal aisle dont stack up evenly. Varieties with chocolate chips and marshmallows likely stand out as the unhealthier of choices, but seemingly healthy options, such as some granolas and sweetened whole-grain varieties, can be packed with added sugars and unhealthy fats, too not to mention they can be seriously lacking in good-for-you nutrients.
Never judge a cereal by the front of the box the manufacturers arent there to help you be healthy, says Gretchen Spetz, RD, a clinical dietitian with University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Ohio. To get the real scoop, you need to scan the ingredients and nutrition facts label for sneaky sugar sources and hidden processed ingredients. What you do want to see are ingredients like whole grains, oats, whole wheat, and brown rice, which tend to be higher in fiber than more processed carbohydrates.
The good news is that the right cereal pick made with the right ingredients can serve up a healthy, nutrient-rich breakfast in a flash and yes, help you meet your weight loss or weight maintenance goals.
Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs
This puff is made from a mixture of puffed wheat, brown rice, oats, barley, triticale, rye, buckwheat, and sesame seeds, with no additional ingredients. A one cup portion contains 70 calories, half a gram of fat, 15 grams of carb with 1 as fiber, and 2 grams of protein.
To sweeten without added sugar, finely chop a few dates to add to the puffs, along with a dusting of non-Dutched cocoa powder, and a quarter cup of pumpkin seeds for bonus protein and minerals.
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Honey Nut Cheerios = 32% Sugar
Made with oats and oat bran, a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios provides a type of soluble oat fibre that can help lower cholesterol. It’s also fortified with a wide range of vitamins and minerals, but the cereal is nearly a third sugar with 3tsp per 37g/1.3oz serving. And, don’t be fooled, sugar from honey isnt any healthier.
What Should A Breakfast For Diabetes Include
An appropriate breakfast should include plant and lean protein foods, the right kind of carbohydrates and healthy fats, without adding in extra sugars that you dont need. It should provide the appropriate amount of fiber and plenty of vitamins and minerals.
If youre on the ADA diet, then you need to eat carbohydrates along with fiber so that the sugars are not absorbed too quickly. Here, weve taken the guess work out of your cereal choices. You can take this guide and run with it virtually in your pajamas and robe to order the ones that are not found in your grocery store on Amazon using our convenient links above.
If youre on an ADA diet, and you want some more grains for breakfast, you can take a at our second list and run with it to your local grocery store to pick out some of the choices weve given you for breakfast cereals.
How to look for healthy cereal in the grocery store
In your grocery store when youre looking for one thats not on our list here, remember to pick up your labels and really pay attention to what is on them. Look for hidden sugars in the ingredients, and put those with added sugars back on the shelf.
Learn your way around a food label
Stay within your carbohydrate recommendations for your breakfast, and look at the total carbohydrates on the label. Notice the amount of fiber. How much sugar the fiber cancels out is the net carbohydrate amount. What is that number? Learning your way around a nutrition label can save you a lot of headaches .
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Tips To Make The Best Recipe
- Do not over-bake the cereal at all, as they are fragile and continue to cook as they cool down. If they look golden brown, you can remove the baking pan from the oven.
- This low carb cereal holds its shape when added to coconut milk, almond milk, or whatever milk you enjoy cereal with.
- Dont worry if your cereal is all different shapes and sizes. As long as they are tiny pieces, that will be perfectly fine to still form cereal.
- For extra crispy cereal, bake for an extra 2-3 minutes.
Which Cereals Have The Most Sugar
Froot Loops, Cheerios, Cap’n Crunch. These are among the top 10 sweetest brand name breakfasts that aren’t exactly healthy for your children.
Bright and colorful, speckled with marshmallows or cocoa and, of course, hawked by fun characters: Whats not for kids to love when it comes to brand-name cereals? Plenty, when it comes to the small matter of which cereals have the most sugar.
Breakfast matters, after all. But while this stuff makes mealtime fun, parents, on the other hand, are on to this sweet scheme. And in some cases, the truth is enough to turn your stomach or at least make you really consider breaking the sugar habit in your family.
Wondering just which of those colorful and cleverly named cereals have the most sugar? So were we.
Lucky for families, the Harvard School of Public Healths Breakfast Cereal Sugar Content List did a lot of the dirty detective work, detailing dozens of popular brands.
Pulling from that as well as roundup of the 10 worst childrens cereals, by the Environmental Working Group from 2011 we created our own top 10 list of offenders, based on sheer percentages of sugar.
When it comes to dietary guidelines, these options certainly arent your allies. So hold onto your nutrition labels. Lets find out where your kids favorite cereal ranks.
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