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As the most important meal of the day, breakfast can set your tone for your eating habits first thing in the morning. Likewise, it’s important to make sure your breakfast is doing everything it should be: satisfying your hunger, providing you with essential nutrients, and keeping you full for the morning. Unfortunately, many breakfast options fall short on those fronts–some more obviously than others.
Cereal, for example, is one breakfast food that people have a hard time identifying as healthy or not. Although there are healthy cereal options, the truth is that many cereals (even the ones that seem healthy) pack in sugar, which can put a serious dent in your diet for the rest of the day.
Keep reading for all the details!
Sugary Cereal
Many people think of cereal as a healthy breakfast option, but the truth is that it can lead to problems for your health, especially if you are not careful about what brands you buy.
Unfortunately, many cereals that seem healthy are actually the opposite, containing high amounts of sugar that could negatively impact your health, especially if you are eating it on a regular basis.
This added sugar can lead to health problems and weight gain, especially considering it is usually coupled with a lack of protein and fiber--making for a seriously unfulfilling breakfast.
According to Healthline, "When consumed in large amounts in the form of added sugars, fructose may alter fullness signals, impair the response of the 'hunger hormone' ghrelin after meals and promote fat storage around the belly."
Plus, eating too much sugar first thing in the morning is likely to result in a sugar crash, which can make having a productive day difficult.
In addition, sugary cereals that lack protein and fiber will not satisfy you for the remainder of the morning. Protein and fiber help keep you full. Without them, you are likely to be reaching for a second helping soon to beat your hunger.
To make sure the cereal you're purchasing is not the type to lead to these problems, it's a good idea to check the nutrition label before buying.
According to CNN, "To make sure your breakfast cereal is a healthy one, aim for one with at least 3 grams of fiber (4 or 5 grams is even better) and fewer than 8 grams (two teaspoons) of sugar."
