You know what they say: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That means that it’s important to be wise about what you put into your body first thing in the morning, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, many of the tastiest and most popular breakfast foods out there are loaded with sugar, which we all know can lead to a range of health issues, including weight gain. Some of the worst options out there are the ever-popular, incredibly convenient, but unfortunately unhealthy breakfast cereals. Although this crunchy, sweet, and simple food is hard to resist, health experts agree that it’s in your best interest to cut sugary breakfast cereals out of your diet.
Of course, not all cereals are created equal. While there may be some healthy-ish options out there, there are a few varieties you should definitely avoid as much as possible if you’re trying to slim down. To discover some of the biggest offenders, we spoke to Heidi Moretti, MS, RD, AKA The Healthy RD. She told us that Froot Loops and Honey Smacks are two sugar-loaded options to cut out. Learn more about the risks of each below.
1. Froot Loops
Froot Loops were a staple in many of our homes growing up. They're one of the quintessential fruity breakfast cereals. Whether you have children of your own now or just want a taste of nostalgia, you may keep a box in your pantry and indulge in a sugary-sweet bowl every now and then. Unfortunately, Moretti lists Froot Loops as one of the worst options for weight loss.
"Froot Loops are the worst cereal because they contain 12 grams of sugar per meager serving, are full of artificial food dyes that are unhealthy for gut health, mood, and may even raise cancer risk," she warns. But that's not all. "They also contain artificial preservatives that are questionable for safety, including BHT." Say it ain't so!
2. Honey Smacks
While the combination of sugar and other harmful ingredients puts Froot Loops at the top of Moretti's list, there's actually another cereal that packs in even more sugar: Honey Smacks. This honey-flavored cereal may be delicious, but it can do a serious number on your waistline if you're not careful.
"Honey Smacks are also the worst because they contain a whopping 18 grams of sugar per serving," Moretti says. Woah! This "makes them basically like eating candy for breakfast," and we all know that, although this sounds delicious, it's incredibly unhealthy.
The bottom line
All in all, if weight loss is your goal, it's a good idea to cut out sugary, processed breakfast cereal altogether. However, if you want to indulge a bit from time to time, you're not going to gain 20 pounds overnight—just do your best to stay away from these two major offenders as much as possible. Instead, make an effort to build balanced, protein-rich breakfasts. Your body will thank you!
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