A bowl of cereal for breakfast is the healthiest start to the day, research has found. It is packed with vitamins which have positive effects on the body.
People who eat cereal also consume more milk than normal and eat less fatty foods, meat, eggs and sugary drinks, a 10-year study by US scientists at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute found.
Cereal lovers also consume more fibre and carbohydrates during the day and even do more physical exercise. The scientists set out to find out why breakfast is often described as the best meal of the day.
For children, eating breakfast is already linked to better nutrition, lower body mass index, higher rates of physical activity and improved quality of life.
The study of 2,379 teenage girls in the US says consumption of cereal goes hand in hand with other positive habits, like exercise. The lifestyle of cereal eaters was compared to that of people who had other types of breakfast.
Cereal provides more fibre, iron, folic acid and zinc and less fat, sodium, sugar and cholesterol, compared with other breakfast foods. Researchers also found that people who eat cereal have better overall diets. They drink more milk eat less fat, sweets, bread and fizzy drinks.
Scientists also recorded a big jump in physical activity on days when cereal was eaten. The researchers said: “Eating cereal for breakfast may have implications for healthier eating throughout the day, as cereal eaters ate more fibre and less fat all day.
Source: Daily Express
Pingback: Wake up to the benefits of cereal
thanks god that somebody (NHLBI) has the same opinion like me, and is founded by a 10 year study… So, please folks, dont tell me anymore that eating in the morning is bad … Sign by a Frustrated Personal Trainer
‘Wake up to the benefits of cereal’ should be renamed ‘Wake up to the benefits of Breakfast’. Most cereals are chock full of sugar and salt and don’t contain much fibre. This article did not differentiate between types of cereal, but lumped them all in together.
The November issue of Consumer Reports analysed the nutritional value of cereals targeted to children. Only 4 out of 27 cereals were rated as very good, based on low sugar, high fibre and calcium. Cheerios topped the list, followed by Kix, Honey Nut Cheerios, and Life. Rice Krispies was rated fair with lower sugar, higher sodium and zero fibre.
This study was funded by General Mills, a breakfast cereal manufacturer.
The study concluded that teenage girls who regularly eat cereal with breakfast weigh less than girls who skip their morning meal. It is already well known that eating breakfast is linked to lower BMI, higher physical activity and improved quality of life. This study found a 60% higher fat content in the non-cereal breakfasts than the cereal breakfasts of these teenage girls.
The study also found that the number of girls skipping breakfast doubled from age 9 to 19. Nearly on third of teenage girls are overweight or obese in the U.S. So, the message is clear:
“Teenagers, eat a healthy breakfast”.
From Mary (a nutritionist and special education teacher)