If you're going to limit or restrict your diet to just one type of food, cereal isn't the worst choice you could make. Although most types of cereal contain little protein or healthy fats, many are fortified with vitamins and minerals so they can substitute for more complete meals. Be aware, however, that it's not healthy or balanced to follow such an exclusionary eating plan in the long term.
A true cereal diet plan is designed to bring about weight loss and calls for replacing at least two meals per day with bowls of cereal, usually served with milk and sometimes supplemented with fresh fruit or low-calorie snacks. A cereal diet makes it difficult or impossible to meet daily recommended servings of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.
Nutrition Information
It's important to pay close attention to the nutrition facts label on the types of cereal you choose to eat, since some varieties have very different calorie counts and nutrient contents than others. For example, the USDA reports that 1 cup of bran flakes has 130 calories, 4 g protein, 1 g fat, 32 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber and 7.5 g sugar. A cup of chocolate marshmallow cereal has more than double that sugar count, at 16 g per cup, and has only 2 g protein and 2 g fiber. Shredded wheat is somewhere in the middle, with 165 calories, 5 g protein, 0.5 g fat, 40 g carbs, 5.5 g fiber and 0.5 g sugar per cup, while cooked oatmeal has 165 calories, 6 g protein, 3.5 g fat, 28 g carbs, 4 g fiber and 0.5 g sugar per cup. Granola has 435 calories, 12 g protein, 14 g fat, 73 g carbohydrates, 12.5 g fiber and 24 g sugar in 1 cup. A cup of skim milk has only about 85 calories.
Pros
Replacing normal meals with cereal can help you lose weight quickly and effectively. If you usually eat 600-calorie meals but you replace two of them daily with 1 cup of shredded wheat, 1 cup of skim milk and 1 medium banana, for example, you'll save 500 calories per day and lose about 1 lb. per week. Additionally, fortified cereals contain enough essential vitamins and minerals to help you prevent short-term nutrient deficiencies on the diet. And cereals are rich sources of whole grains, which can help encourage healthy weight management and reduce heart disease risks, according to ChooseMyPlate.gov.
Cons
The National Institutes of Health recommends losing weight with a balanced eating plan that includes daily servings of lean proteins, low-fat or nonfat dairy, vegetables and fruits in addition to grain products. If you change your current eating plan too radically to lose weight, you may not be able to keep the weight off in the long term. Before you start any new diet, discuss potential complications with your doctor or a registered dietitian and get approval.
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