Cheerios from General Mills was the first ready-to-eat oat cereal, and varieties now include several sweetened flavors for children. Frosted Cheerios could be part of a balanced breakfast for your child since, like all General Mills cereals, they contain whole grains and are low in fat. The nutrition information is for a serving size of 3/4 cup, or 28 g.
Overall Nutrition Information
A serving of Frosted Cheerios provides 110 calories and 1 g fat, including 0.5 g monounsaturated fat. It is free from saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, which are the three kinds of dietary lipids that may increase levels of bad cholesterol in your blood. The Cheerios have 2 g protein and 23 g carbohydrate, with 10 g sugars and 2 g dietary fiber, or 6 percent of the daily value for someone on a 2,000-calorie diet. A serving has 170 mg sodium and 55 mg potassium.
Grains
Whole grains contain the bran, germ and endosperm component of the grain kernel. According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, people who eat more whole grains instead of refined grains may have a lower risk for coronary heart disease. Whole grains provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and antioxidants, and in Frosted Cheerios, the main ingredient by weight is whole grain oats. The cereal also has corn meal, which is a refined grain.
Bone Health
Children need calcium and vitamin D to build strong bones, but the 2005 Dietary Guidelines state that some children may not get enough. Calcium is a main component of bone mineral, and it comes from dairy products and fortified juices and cereals. Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium, and your body can produce it when radiation from the sun hits your skin or you can get it from fish oils or fortified foods. Frosted Cheerios provides 10 percent of the daily value for calcium and vitamin D.
B Vitamins
Folic acid is an essential B vitamin for women who may become pregnant because it may reduce the risk of birth defects, and a serving of Frosted Cheerios contains 50 percent of the daily value. According to KidsHealth, healthy red blood cells need folic acid along with vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and riboflavin, and the cereal provides 25 percent of the daily value for those vitamins. It also provides 25 percent of the daily value for thiamin and niacin, which help your body turn food into energy.
Other Micronutrients
Most of the iron in your body is in hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Dietary iron deficiency can cause anemia, and KidsHealth states that symptoms include weakness and fatigue. Vitamin C not only supports your immune system and joints, but also increases your body's ability to absorb calcium and iron from food. A serving of Cheerios has 25 percent of the daily value for vitamin C. It also has 10 percent of the daily value for vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes healthy skin and eyes.
Member Comments