Did you know cereal is one of the healthiest breakfast choices you can make? It is a nutrient- dense food that is packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Breakfast eaters who consume cereal tend to eat less fat, less cholesterol, and more fiber than noncereal eaters over the coarse of their day. In fact data from the National Weight Control Registry showed that participants who ate breakfast had a likelihood of maintaining weight loss and a healthier body weight.
Cereal is a staple in my house and I always have a box of Cheerios or Lucky Charms in my pantry. My finicky toddler is extremely difficult to get a balanced meal down him, but he will eagerly grab fists full of his favorite cereal and munch away without hesitation. I know by him eating the cereal he is at least getting some key nutrients such as iron, vitamin A, zinc, and folate. However, I have been concerned about the amount of sugar included in the cereal so I was happy to learn that General Mills has made a commitment to further reduce the sugar in cereals to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing essential nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain. This is great news to parents who love the benefits of quick ready-to-eat cereals, but don’t like the negative effects of sugar on already overly active children.
Other cereal benefits:
- Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.
- Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.
- More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.
Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.
For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.
SAVE!
Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals!
Go here to sign up to receive $4 in coupons and the chance to win a free box of Cheerios!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. MANY WILL ENTER, FEW WILL WIN. Open only to legal residents of the United States 18 years or older. Ends: 12/31/2010.
To enter and for Official Rules, including odds and prize description, visit www.BeginWithCheerios.com.
(Information provided by General Mills (through MyBlogSpark). Even though free product and information was received, my opinion was of my own.)
