Not all breakfast cereals are equal in terms of nutrient content, and it is important to analyze your cereal choices so that you can choose those with the most health benefits. By using the nutrition information panel on a box of cereal, you can determine if it fits in your healthy diet or is something that could compromise a health condition, reports MayoClinic.com. Choosing cereals that are high in nutrients but low in fat and calories will promote good health and cut your risk of obesity, heart disease and even cancer.
Step 1
Read through the ingredients. You want a cereal that lists healthy items at the top of the list, because they are the ones that will give you the most nutrients. Look for whole grains, as they are good sources of fiber and iron. Cereals that list sugar or partially hydrogentated oils are ones to skip, as they increase fat and calorie intake. Choosing a cereal with a small ingredient list means you are getting less additives and more natural foods that lead to good health.
Step 2
Look at the nutritional information panel. This is located on the box and reports the amount of fat, calories, sodium, cholesterol, sugar and several vitamins and minerals that are in a serving of that cereal. Fat, calories, cholesterol and sugar are things you want to limit, while fiber and vitamins and minerals are things you want in greater quantities. You can check the information online or on the cereal aisle of the grocery store.
Step 3
Make your choice based on the content of the healthy stuff vs. the content of the unhealthy stuff. Choose a cereal that reports having under 200 calories per serving, contains 2 or more g of protein, has at least 3 g of fiber, is under 8 g of sugar, has less than 3 g of fat and zero trans fat and contains 10 to 25 percent of daily recommended totals for vitamins and minerals, like folate, iron, B vitamins and calcium.
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