Choosing healthy breakfast cereal: How to be a smart consumer

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains what to look for in a healthy cereal.

Eating a healthy cereal for breakfast is one of the easiest ways to start the day off on the right foot. Making a healthy cereal choice in the expansive maze of options can be confusing and difficult. Do not be fooled by misleading health claims, catchy names or colorful boxes. Next time you are strolling down the cereal aisle at the grocery store, use the nutrition facts and ingredient list as your fool-proof guide!

Here are some things to look for to make a healthy cereal choice:

Whole grains: 100 percent whole grain product

Whole grains contain fiber, which means they are not as rapidly digested as refined grains. In addition to keeping you satisfied throughout the morning, fiber helps regulate blood sugar, keep the intestines functioning smoothly and lower LDL cholesterol.

Fiber: 3 grams or more per serving

Food makers are required to list ingredients in descending order by weight, so look for a whole grain or bran, an integral part of whole grains, as the first item on the ingredient list. Examples include whole grain wheat, wheat bran, whole grain oats and whole grain corn.

Sugar: 6 grams or less per serving

Many cereals contain large amounts of added sugar. In fact, nearly half of calories in some cereal come from sugar. High sugar content makes these cereals no healthier than eating cookies and milk for breakfast. Avoid a cereal if any form of sugar is one of the first three ingredients. The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar daily, which is 350 extra calories a day and 35 pounds a year! The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 100 calories (6 teaspoons or 24 grams) of added sugar per day and men consume no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons or 36 grams). Keep in mind that for cereals with dried fruit, such as raisins, the natural sugar content in the fruit is reflected on the label.

Sodium: 150 mg or less per serving

Cereal can be surprisingly high in sodium. Some popular brands contain twice as much sodium as a serving of potato chips. In fact, salt is more commonly added to cereal than sugar. Excess sodium can lead to many health problems, including high blood pressure. While Americans consume over 3700 mg of sodium per day, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 2300 mg of sodium per day. For African Americans, people with hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease and those over 50 years, the guidelines recommend consuming less than 1500 mg of sodium per day.

Calories: 150 to 200 per serving

Serving size can vary from ½ cup to 1 1/3 cups. Make sure to do the math so you can control how many calories you are consuming. Remember, if the serving size is ½ cup and you eat one cup, you are consuming twice what is listed on the label.

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN