It can be difficult to select a breakfast cereal that ticks all the boxes in terms of both taste and nutritional value, especially with such a huge range in the supermarket.
To make it easier for you, dietitian Abbey Sharp, based in Toronto and with more than 600,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, has outlined how to choose a healthy breakfast cereal.
“Fiber is very important for regularity and satiety, so I usually look for an everyday cereal with about three or more grams per serving,” she said.
“I usually look for a cereal that isn’t completely sugar-free, due to the hashtag flavor, but something that has less than seven grams of sugar per serving.”
‘Fiber is very important for regularity and satiety, so I typically look for an everyday cereal with around three or more grams per serving,’ says dietitian Abbey Sharp.
The American Heart Association recommends that men should consume no more than nine teaspoons of added sugar per day (39 g), while women should consume no more than six (24 g).
Fortunately, there are a number of breakfast cereals that match Abbey’s mantra of three or more grams of fiber and less than seven grams of sugar per serving.
As for fiber, the recommendation is 25-30 g per day.
Alpen Muesli No Added Sugars, $9.59, contains zero grams of added sugars — and 6 grams of natural sugars.
Per 2/3 cup serving it provides: 210 calories, 7 g fiber and 6 g total sugar.
Although Cheerios are traditionally viewed as unhealthy, the original Cheerios, $3.99, contain only one gram of sugar per serving and are made with 100 percent whole grain oats.
Whole grains are considered superior to other types of carbohydrates because of their high amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients.
They also keep you full longer, reducing the risk of hunger pangs before lunch.
Per 1 1/2 cup serving, it provides 140 calories, 4 g fiber, 2 g total sugar, including 1 g added sugar.
Kellogg’s All-Bran Flakes, $6.37, also make a healthy option for your morning meal.
It contains 7g of sugar per serving and meets Abbey’s recommendation of 6g of fibre.
Each serving of whole grains provides 11 vitamins and minerals, including 60 percent of your daily recommended iron intake.
Weetabix, $7.99, which can be enjoyed dry or with milk, offers a hearty breakfast option.
It is low in salt, low in fat, low in sugar and contains no less than six grams of fiber per serving.
Per three cookies this amounts to 180 calories, 6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of sugar – two of which are natural.