While delicious and easy to throw together in a hurry, most breakfast cereals are high in sugar and actively work against weight loss. Even if they aren’t packed with artificial sweeteners, many cereals are likely low in nutrients, leaving you hungry shortly after eating and more apt to overeat throughout the day. “Cereal packages often include health claims, such as “contains whole grains.” A label may also suggest the cereal is a good source of nutrients like vitamin A and iron. In reality, these cereals are highly processed and contain only a small amount of whole grains,” explains Healthline.
They may be tempting, but sweet cereals leave little to be desired in the way of nutrition and will actually cause cravings for sugar to worsen over time, making a calorie deficit more difficult to achieve. “The worst offenders are sugary cereals that lack fiber and protein, which can cause a blood sugar spike and crash before lunchtime. For example, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes with Marshmallows has 12 grams of sugar, 0 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein,” reports CNN. “Compare that with Kellogg’s Raisin Bran cereal, which has 18 grams of sugar, partly from the natural sugar in raisins, but also has 7 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. The latter will keep you more satisfied.”
Looking for a cereal option you can trust? Look no further than Cheerios. “People always want fancy cereals, but they don’t have to be expensive or niche to be good for you,” explains Keri Gans, RDN. “I love Cheerios, and you know why? Not only are they affordable, but they have great nutritional value,” she tells Women’s Health. Not every cereal is going to ruin your diet, and in fact, you can really eat any food in moderation while still seeing success in your weightloss journey. However, relying on sweet cereals with very little nutrients on a daily basis is a quick way to ensure overeating later in the day, making it more difficult to lose weight over time.
Breakfast, while not necessarily the most important meal of the day, does set the tone for the habits that will follow in the coming hours. Making sure to eat a well balanced breakfast that contains a healthy selection of carbs, protein, and fats is the best way to see noticeable weight loss results over time without feeling hungry immediately after eating. However, you can still include cereal in your diet when paired with a protein form or healthy fat, so long as the box you opt for is low in sugar and is made of a complex carb. As you work to lose weight you don’t have to deprive yourself of the foods you love to achieve results, but you should be more mindful in your choices in order to feel your best.