Cheerios is one of the most widely recognizable cereals on the market because of its longstanding popularity among all age groups. Many parents eat Cheerios for their own health and feed Cheerios to their young children as a snack. You may eat Cheerios in a bowl with sliced banana as part of your daily breakfast or take a bag of Cheerios on the road as a healthy snack. The nutrients in Cheerios offer many health-enhancing effects, especially for your heart.
Vitamins
Cheerios is source of the metabolism-boosting B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin A. The daily values in 1 cup of plain Cheerios are 36 percent thiamin, 26 percent riboflavin, 27 percent niacin, 25 percent vitamin B6, 29 percent vitamin B12 and 68 percent of folate. Cheerios also provide 16 percent of the vision-enhancing vitamin A and 11 percent of the immune-enhancing vitamin C. Cheerios alone offer 9 percent of the daily value of vitamin D, and the addition of milk can increase the amount.
Minerals
Cheerios are rich in the bone-building minerals calcium and phosphorus, which provide 11 percent and 12 percent of the daily value, respectively. One cup of Cheerios provides 49 percent of the daily value of iron, which is required in your blood for oxygen transport. Cheerios also provide 30 percent of the daily value of zinc and 47 percent of the daily value of manganese, which is essential for body growth. About 11 percent of the daily value for the antioxidant-mineral selenium is contained in 1 cup of Cheerios.
Lowering Your Cholesterol
Cheerios are low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, but the soluble fiber from the whole-grain oats are what cause Cheerios to lower your cholesterol. When cholesterol builds up in your arteries, your risk of getting heart disease increases. The soluble fiber in oats binds to cholesterol in your digestive tract and moves them out of your body before they can cause harm to your heart.
Uses
Cheerios are a versatile food in terms of healthy meal and snack opportunities. The most common way to eat Cheerios is for breakfast in a bowl with milk. Adding fruit such as banana or strawberry slices, blueberries or raspberries can add energy and extra vitamins and minerals that you would not have receive from a plain bowl of cereal with milk. Putting a handful of cheerios in with your container of fruit yogurt or Greek yogurt is a snack that can create variety in your diet.
Benefits
Aside from the heart-healthy benefits from the soluble fiber in Cheerios, you can improve your digestive function because Cheerios provides 3g of total fiber in 1 cup. Fiber functions in lowering cholesterol and adds bulk to your stool, which can help treat constipation. Also, since 1 cup of Cheerios provides 21g of carbohydrates and only 1g of sugar, diabetics can benefit from eating Cheerios without jeopardizing their blood glucose levels.
Member Comments