Few supermarket aisles are more confusing than the cereal aisle, with its dazzling array of good, bad and simply terrible choices. A serving of dry cereal (approximately 1 ¼ cups) makes an easy, packable snack or a nutritious breakfast with milk and fruit. But all cereals are not created equal.
How to choose
Look for labels that meet these criteria per serving:
Calories: fewer than 200
Fiber: 3 grams or more
Fat: fewer than 2 grams
Sugar: fewer than 10 grams
Good choice
General Mills Fiber One
Calories: 60
Fiber: 14 g
Fat: 1 g
Sugar : 0 g
Kashi GoLean
Calories: 70
Fiber: 5 g
Fat: .5 g
Sugar: 3 g
General Mills Cheerios
Calories: 100
Fat: 2 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 1 g
Bad choice
Look for words such as “crunchy, frosted or fruity.” Many granola brands are full of sugar and sodium and may be less healthy than a lightly sweetened choice. No idea why raisins in Raisin Bran have to be sweetened!
Kellogs Froot Loops
Calories: 120
Fat 1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar 15 g
Kellogs Honey Smacks
Calories: 100
Fat: 1 g
Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 15 g
Apple Jacks
Calories: 120
Fat: .5g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 15 g
