Food - Drink
Why You Should Always Read The Label On The Cereal Box
By EMILY BOYETTE
Cereal has long been a favorite go-to breakfast meal, yet there are certain red flags you should check on nutritional labels. A typical rule of thumb is to proceed with caution if a label has unpronounceable ingredients, and though most cereal labels have legible ingredients, they might not be healthy.
Many cereals are labeled fiber-rich, but it doesn't always mean good fiber. Ingredients like pea fiber, bleached oat fiber, and fiber in the form of inulin are often added to make up the total grams of fiber on the nutrition label and may not have the same health benefits as fiber from the whole grains.
A healthy cereal's sugar content should not exceed 10 grams, yet 19.8 grams per serving seems to be the norm. Many cereal companies use other names for sugar — such as corn syrup, fructose, sucralose, erythritol, and many more — so watch out for red flags in the sugar names, too.
Lastly, a vital indicator of a good cereal is based on serving size, and if one cup serving size yields over 200 calories, it's probably not the best choice. The recommended cereal portion size for adults is 30 grams without milk, and while cereal sizes may vary across brands, it’s always best to read the label.