Saturday, May 15, 2010

Breakfast? Dinner? Snack?


I could eat cereal any meal but they are seriously misleading. Here I was eating Raisin Bran thinking I was being good! I read an article a while back that took about 50 cereals and compared calories, fat, sugar, protein, etc etc. Here is a list of the some of the "worst" cereals.

  • Honey Smacks (Kellogg's)
  • Corn Pops (Kellogg's)
  • Apple Jacks (Kellogg's)
  • Franken Berry (General Mills)
  • Trix (General Mills)
  • Eggo Cereal Maple Syrup (Kellogg's)
  • Basic 4 (General Mills)
  • Smorz (Kellogg's)
  • Oreo O's (Post)
  • Froot Loops (Kellogg's)
  • Cocoa Puffs (General Mills)
  • Count Chocula (General Mills)
  • Waffle Crisp (Post)
  • Reese's Puffs (General Mills)
  • Mini-Swirlz Cinnamon Bun (Kellogg's)
  • Frosted Krispies (Kellogg's)
  • Cocoa Pebbles (Post)
  • Fruity Pebbles (Post)
  • Cookie Crisp (General Mills)
  • Frosted Flakes (Kellogg's)
  • Golden Grahams (General Mills)
  • Lucky Charms (General Mills)
  • Rice Krispies Treats Cereal (Kellogg's)
Here are a list of some of the "best" cereals.

  • Cheerios (General Mills)
  • Shredded Wheat (Post)
  • Fiber One (General Mills)
  • Grape Nuts (Post)
  • Wheaties (General Mills)
  • Total (General Mills)
  • GOLEAN Cereal (Kashi)
  • All-Bran (Kellogg's)
  • Wheat Chex (General Mills)
Pretty much all the ones I eat are on the "not the worst, but not the best" list. I won't lie though, I do enjoy some of the worst ones.

Here are a couple they figured would be the healthiest, good tasting cereals.

  1. Post Grape-Nuts Trail Mix Crunch: 5 grams fiber, and 22% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole grain wheat, malted barley, and sugar, followed by raisins and wheat bran.
  2. Fiber One Bran Cereal: 14 grams fiber, 0% calories from sugar. First three ingredients are whole-grain wheat bran, corn bran, and cornstarch. This cereal only appeals to some people. I would suggest enhancing the flavor with cinnamon, fresh or dried fruit, and/or roasted nuts.
  3. Fiber One Honey Clusters: 13 grams fiber, 15% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole-grain wheat, corn bran, and wheat bran.
  4. Quaker Oatmeal Squares: 5 grams fiber, 19% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole oat flour, whole-wheat flour, and brown sugar.
  5. Shredded wheat: 6 grams fiber, 0% calories from sugar (for a generic brand). The only ingredient is 100% whole grain cereal. I enjoy this with added fresh or dried fruit and nuts. If you opt for the frosted variety, it has 6 grams fiber and gets 23% of its calories from sugar.
  6. Frosted Mini Wheats: 6 grams fiber, 24% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole-grain wheat, sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup.
  7. Raisin Bran: 7 grams fiber, 40% calories from sugar (in Kellogg's brand). The first three ingredients are whole wheat, raisins, and wheat bran). Sugar is listed fourth in the ingredient list, but many of the calories from sugar come from the raisins.
  8. Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oat Cereal: 5 grams fiber, 18% calories from sugar. The first three ingredients are whole oat flour, oat bran, and evaporated cane juice. This is a higher-fiber alternative to Cheerios. I think they taste better, too. But that may be because there is more sweetener added (the evaporated cane juice).

What cereal do you eat? I find myself drinking more protein shakes and less cereal these days, but I still do enjoy a nice bowl of cold cereal.

(P.S. Did ya'll vote me out? My name disappeared.)

7 comments:

  1. Um, sorry Chelsea, but we won't let you out of this challenge. I'm sure Audrey will be putting your name back on ASAP!

    As for cereal, I don't really eat cereal anymore. I used to eat the Basic Four. Had no idea that was on the bad list. I also eat Raisin Bran, and I love Frosted Mini Wheats. My husband got me a vita mixer for Christmas. Since then I've been eating a protien fruit shake for breakfast. If I've had a heafty workout before breakfast, I might have 1 egg, 1 piece of toast, with 1 tbsp of Peanut Butter. It feels me up a bit more. I am curious to hear about what everyone else eats for breakfast.

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  2. I haven't had a bowl of cereal for breakfast in over two months...with the exception of a couple in-between challenge bows of Samantha's homemade granola.

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  3. I eat cereal every morning. Lately it's been Special K protein plus. I love it with a half a banana sliced. it's got lots of fiber and protein, so it fills me up all morning. Only 100 calories for 3/4 cup!
    When I was a young and conscientious mother I only bought cereals that were WIC approved, because I knew they would be healthy. To my delight, my all-time fave cereal was in that category- Life.
    Then I discovered coupons, and couldn't bare to spend more than $2 a box. Healthy cereals are expensive! Consequently, I have probably half the bad list on my shelves in the basement.
    Chelsea, I LOVE Quaker oatmeal squares! So good, but never a coupon for them!

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  4. I eat cereal every morning too. Either Honey Nut Cheerios, Bite Sized Shredded Wheat, or just plain oatmeal (NOT cooked, just raw) with a few raisins in it and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Once in a while I'll have a bowl of Chocolate Cheerios or Reese's Puffs, but those are rarely in the house anymore.

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  5. I have not eaten cereal in several months but like Mindy I love the Quaker Oatmeal Squares! I also like Kashi Heart to Heart Honey toasted cereal.

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  6. Wheat Chex, I'm a Wheat Chex kind of girl.

    Apis has been eating cereal, cooked Oatmeal....that's cereal isn't it?

    I also like Raison Bran of any kind or variety.

    My breakfast for the past two months has been a boiled egg or 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, whole wheat toast w/no calorie jelly and fruit of some kind. I must have some sort of wheat in the mornng via either toast of cereal.

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  7. I love to eat kashi because it has 13 grams of protein for 1 cup with 140 calories. Truthfully though I have more protein drinks too.

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