A Healthy Breakfast by Cindy Weinberger MS, RD

Health & F tness

Breakfast: Make the Right Choice

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

We all know the importance of eating breakfast. Eating a solid, good breakfast could make or break your day.

What should a “healthy” breakfast include? To the average American, breakfast implies cereal and milk. However, is cereal and milk truly the well-balanced breakfast we should be eating?

Breakfast cereals were originally created as a health food to help digestion. Even though breakfast cereal is a convenient food for many busy people, not all cereals make the ideal breakfast. At the start, the industry’s nutritionists were strictly anti-sugar. However, once the manufacturer opted for profit over health in the late 1940’s, the realities of competition were soon won out. By the 1960’s, children’s breakfasts had been transformed into lower-fat versions of dessert. Cereals are made by processing grains into fine flour. The flour is then cooked and mixed with ingredients like sugar, water, and chocolate. The cereal is then dried and made into shapes, such as puffs, balls, stars, and squares.

The real problem with breakfast cereal is that is most cereals are loaded with sugar.

“When you exclude obviously sugar-heavy foods like candy, cookies, ice cream, soft and fruit drinks, breakfast cereals are the single greatest source of added sugars in the diets of children under the age of eight,” noted nutritionist Dawn Undurraga, who coauthored the new report, “Children’s Cereals: Sugar by the Pound.” “Cereals that pack in as much sugar as junk food should not be considered part of a healthy breakfast or diet. Kids already eat two to three times the amount of sugar experts recommend.”

According to Jennifer L. Harris, lead researcher at Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, children get a teaspoon of sugar with every 3 teaspoons of the typical cereal marketed to them. Many adult cereals contain just as much sugar per cup, giving you up to 100 extra calories in your breakfast.

Added sugar may very well be the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. Many argue that sugar in moderation is harmless, however, that is generally not the case. Sugar is often the underlying cause of many diseases, particularly a condition known as insulin resistance. Sugar also plays a pivotal role in causing dental cavities, obesity, and diabetes, thus increasing the risk of developing other major chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. Some believe that sugar itself is unrelated to these diseases and that overeating in general is the culprit. However, research since the 1960’s is consistent with the fact the sugar’s distinctive chemistry plays a major role in a cluster of abnormalities known as metabolic syndrome. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 75 million Americans now suffer from metabolic syndrome. Without sugar in our diets, diabetes might be a rare disease – as

Pay attention to serving size

it appears to once have been.

Aside from the sugar issue, breakfast cereals often have misleading health claims and are heavily marketed as being healthy. Misleading health claims include “low fat” and “whole grain.” These products are not healthy just because they have small amounts of whole grains in them. These cereals are often highly processed foods that are loaded with added sugars. The small amounts of whole grains do not counteract the harmful effects of the other ingredients. Even more so, many cereals are loaded with sodium. The high sugar content often masks the high sodium taste, however, the adverse effects of sodium still remain.

What is considered a “healthy” breakfast cereal? When it comes to choosing cereals, don’t make any assumptions. Read the nutrition facts label carefully. While many assume cereals like Honey Nut Cheerios and Raisin Bran are “healthy,” they actually contain the same amount of sugar as Fruity Pebbles! Look for cereals that have less than 5 grams of sugar per serving. Choose cereals that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Fiber is important for a number of reasons. More importantly, pay attention to serving size. Cereals can be high in calories, and if eaten in large amounts can add up to a high calorie meal. Furthermore, use skim or low fat milk instead of whole milk to cut back on the calories.

If you’re unable to differentiate between “healthy” and “misleading” cereals, stick to the safer option and skip the cereal completely. Good breakfast ideas are eggs, multigrain toast with avocado or peanut butter, fruit smoothies, yogurt with fruit, yogurt with nuts, fruit and cottage cheese, oatmeal with fruit, high fiber pancakes with berries…the list can go on and on. Use your imagination to create a nutritious breakfast that works for you.

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @EatBetterandFeelBetter.